Risen
by THE PAIN TRAIN
Summary: I wasn't meant for this power, i didn't choose it, or the things it carried, for this power chose me. But, despite the weight of the world on my shoulders and the power of a shinigami, I finds happiness in a certain flambouyant luetinent. Watch as Naruto takes the world by storm! Avoiding hells grasp and a world that wants his power! Naruto x Rangiku! Naruto x harem!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello hello! This is my first shot at fanfiction, but not my first shot at writing-mind you. I have written three books thus far called Witches Warrior and they themselves were the product of reading fanfiction, the style anyway-which I found in someone named Neonzangetsu. His writing's helped inspire mine, and I hope that maybe he'll come across this.**

 **Anyway, I wish to spread my writing and put my name out there, and in hopes that the many people who read fanfiction will possibly look for my books as well, but as it is, what I wish for most is that people find my works at the very least, entertaining.**

 **Alright, now let's get the hype train going! And let it be known I own _nothing_ and that the respective fiction used here is owned by their respective owners! Now, let there be light, camera, and action!**

Of New Beginnings

The night was filled with the full moons light, giving forth shadows indiscriminate from that of a trees or a persons, making it a perfect dusk hour for those known as shinobi, those green flack jacketed warriors of stealth and war perfectly hidden beneath the folds of darkness. But this night was not a night for just stealth or war, this night was filled with a large amount of _very_ irate shinobi as they sped about in the trees, jumping and leaping, looking for a single individual. This boy, sun-kissed hair, sapphire eyes, and whiskered visage wearing an orange jumpsuit, had stolen something in his village hidden amongst the leaves. The scroll of sealing, it was called, and the boy-a mere youth!-had up and stolen it, spiriting it away to a shed in these darkened woods. Far away from his village and far be it enough that he ran that he could study its ancient writings.

He opened the scroll and began reading, and the first thing he read, was supposedly one of the worst things he could do, but he was a stubborn lad and a persevering one at that! So, besides a grumble at first, he went on with it, taking well long enough that, once he had about mastered it, he was found. But the thing was, it was not his sensai's: Iruka and Mizuki. Nor was it the old man Saratobi, or any other shinobi, for this being was something else entirely.

"Hey Iruka, ya caught me, I-"

Naruto Uzimaki had nearly choked on his tongue when this person showed up, out of no where, sneaking here before him just as he finished learning the kage bushin. She-hell no was there a doubt against that!-had a black kimono on, a robe like attire,a pink scarf, a sash of white wrapped around her slim waist, and brown grass woven sandles. At her hip was a simple katana, sheathed there with a cat's visage for the cross guard. But, all of this paled in comparison when he looked at her as a whole, with her orange hair cascading down in swirls, framing her heart sharpen face and large sparkling oceanic blue eyes. Her full lips parted to speak, with a hand on her hip, and said something that made Naruto's heart skip a beat.

"Huh?"

Well, it wasn't the elegance of the words but more so the voice-as they say.

"Who's that? Ah, never mind. But, what are you doing here?" She asked, wondering why a human was out in the middle of the woods.

Naruto was still enchanted by her and could only mutter non sensible words in response. With this, the woman stepped towards him, striding over the ground with elegance unlike any other. Then she squatted down in front of him, and only _then_ did he jump back in surprise, scroll of sealing tumbling with him.

"Who da what!"

The woman cocked her head to the side, slight confusion crossing her face with a quirked brow.

"Um...my names Rangiku, Rangiku Matsumoto." Her voice was curtious.

Her hand extended towards him, and he receded further, unsure of the strange-ish woman. She saw this and sighed, stood, and shook her head.

"Ya know its dangerous for a human child to be in these woods, a hallow is around." She told placing her other hand on her hip, leaning that way. Naruto did not budge, but his hands came together, two fingers pointed and placed into a cross.

"Hey lady! I'm a ninja! And no _hallow_ -whatever that is!-is gonna scare me away!" His angry bellow was met with more confusion, for what reason did he cross himself, and how was this child a shinobi? But, before she could say anything, a glass shattering roar filled the air, shrill and reverberating in its tone and menacing tune.

"That's a hallow!" Rangiku shouted, unsheathing her sword and holding it aloft with both hands. "Get behind me!" She shouted again, feeling the unnatural spiritual pressure increase as the hallow came closer.

But Naruto didn't listen to her, Naruto was thick headed, Naruto was not gonna listen to a woman-no matter how pretty she looked-that he just met. And so he whirled about, scroll of sealing slung over his back, as he put his hands together and performed the jutsu, giving out a war cry of-

"Kage bushin no jutsu!"

Plumes of smoke appeared at his sides and behind him, a literal army of orange clad Naruto's, all ready and rearing to go. Each of them pulled out a kunai just as a xenomorphic monster with a white mask like a fish and a lanky body of grey muscle crashed through the shed. Wood and tin exploded out as it thrashed, on a rampage it seemed.

Naruto's clones leapt high into the nights folds, coming down on the creature without haste, ready to slash this insane creature up or beat it down, whichever ceased this creatures insanity. But the first line were poofed, just as the creature lifted a large hand and swiped it across the starry night. The original looked on, having landed besides the Rangiku woman, unafraid as he put the seal down with a gentle hand, watching the creature with careful examination as it poofed the army of clones.

Out of the blue, he said-

"-By the way, the names Naruto Uzimaki, and I ain't some kid."

And he too leapt forward, into the fray, leaving the soul reaper lieutenant...intrigued. How could this human make copies of himself? Was it that Chakra stuff the other soul reapers spoke about when referring to _this_ world of the living? Maybe, and if so, it was exciting! Perhaps...she would visit this world more often, use her vacation days and such.

She shook herself of her pondering's and brought her zampakto to her side, then dashed into the fight, just as the Naruto kid had.

Naruto strafed to the side, avoiding the tall creatures swinging arms, and dashed forward, taking advantage of the opening. His fist clenched tight and cocked back, he snapped his arm forward, slamming his fist against the creatures ribs. The smacking sound echoed across the forest, followed by a gnashing slice as cold steel blade penetrated unprotected flesh.

Naruto looked to the side, seeing that the Rangiku lady had sliced the hallow down the side of the white mask. The hallow screeched and retracted in pain, falling back in misted and warped shadow that shimmered for a moment, the faded like vapor.

Rangiku looked to Naruto and smiled.

"It'll be back, Naruto~"

He was taken aback by that. Was he just flirted with? Was that flirting? Did she just wink at him? She did, she did wink! She did flirt with him! Why?

"Wha-"

But before he could spas out, it did return, just behind them, scooping up Naruto with one of its large hands, covering him completely, clenching its fist in an attempt to crush him into victus goop. But it failed as an explosion of orange forced its hand open, and Naruto's clones leapt at it, tackling it to the ground.

"Kill it!" They shouted!

The original nodded and leapt up over the beasts thrashing form, descending down with a kunai. The rushing air passed through his form, whistling through his hair, and the double sided dagger was poised and ready with clenched fingers wrapped tightly around it. Then, he plunged the blade through its skull. The hallow thrashed about in reckless abandon, poofing the clones with its longs arms when it swung and smacking the original into the black woods.

 _ **RAWWW!**_

Rangiku's eyes widened, then narrowed unto the raging beast, anger beginning to shine through her usually bubbly self. She placed her hand near the hilt of her blade and swiped it down the spine, shouting out-

"Haineko!"

All but the guard and handle seemed to disintegrate into ash, ash that flew out at the hallow, ash that began cutting through the hallows hide like wet tissue. It raged against the pain though, thrashing more and more, throwing the ash to the side futilely as it came back to slice it more. It tried to keep standing, but the cuts became gashes of blood, and soon, it found itself taking a knee. But before it could fully succumb, its hand flashed out like lightning, grabbing the soul reaper and holding tight, squeezing her and threatening to break her with its mighty grip.

The ashes stopped, as she feared she would cut herself, and the wounds on its body slowly began to close.

"No you don't!" A rough voice broke between the night, gruff and determined it was.

Rangiku twisted around as best she could, grunting through the pain, and saw Naruto, his orange jumpsuit torn and in tatters, threadbare and red with his own blood. But he stood amongst the pain, arms lax at his sides, a fire of determination blaring in those sapphire orbs.

His arms raised, forming the cross hand sign, allowing the Chakra to mold through him, the burning energy forming several hundred clones out of thin air. A clone stood next to him, transforming into a large shuriken, which he caught.

"I don't know who you are, or what you want lady!"

Half of the clones above him turned into the same sized shurikens.

"But I will not stand for reckless killing!"

The other half grabbed the transformed clones.

"I won't allow any innocent to die!"

They pulled back the giant throwing stars.

"I am Naruto Uzimaki! And one day I will become the Hokage! Believe it!"

And they let bare the hail of shurikens, the black mass eclipsing the moon itself in there own magnitude, bathing both the creature and the soul reaper it held in a sharp looming abyss. They came down, and Rangiku thought she was a goner, she thought she was going to be ripped asunder by hundreds of those deadly things, she thought that Naruto was going to hit her along with the hallow, and she closed her eyes, believing that, as they were but a second away from her.

 _ **RAWWWWW!**_

The hallow screeched its final breath as the giant shurikens pierced it, one by one, sinking into it with ease, spraying blood across the now crimson grass, leaving its final breath to shudder out in painful disaress before dissipating into a burst of black ash, the disintegrating body flowing through the crevices of dimensional space and time, while its conciseness plummeted into oblivion, to know no more.

Poetic stuff, but that didn't matter to Rangiku, as she fell from its dispersing grip, falling to the ground on her hands and knees, gasping in shot breaths, taking in as much as she could. When she looked up, she saw Naruto, standing there, hand still extended in the fashion he had let go of the shuriken clone. His breath was ragged, his body shaking, exhaustion taking its vicious hold onto him too.

His eyes went half lidded, then, he swayed on wooden legs.

Back.

Forth.

Left.

Right.

His eyes shut fully.

And-

 _Thump._

And he was knocked out cold, falling face first on the ground.

"Ugh..."

His groan reached the orange haired woman's ears, and she smiled, giggled, then chuckled, then _laughed_ hysterically _._ She was a bit tired too, and her jovial laughter was groggy and, if the boy was awake, cute. But he wasn't, he was out cold, and she couldn't leave him. Specially not with the sign of just _a_ hallow around-there always could be more-and she had a feeling she and this Naruto would see more of each-other.

Who knew, maybe she'd train him, he may not be a shinigami, or have a zampakto-yet-but it was worth the try, especially after the fact that he _killed a hallow._

Very few humans could do that, even a shinobi.

She stood woodenly, swaying as when she drank to much sake, and came towards him, picking him up with ease as her strength returned. She shouldered him and allowed her zampakto to reform back from its shikai to its normal state of being a katana. She may not have bankai, but that didn't matter to her, she was a lieutenant, and could compare to a captain level.

"Oh?"

She stopped, sheathing her sword, and looked down at the scroll the boy had not but a few minutes before had. A large scroll it was, holding secrets shinobi and civilian alike-and a certain head of research and development captain would love to look over-would kill for. But she had no desire for such a thing, no will or reason to pick it up and learn from it.

She grabbed it anyway, deducing that maybe the leader of this place would desire to have it back.

With that in hand, and Naruto in the other, she flash stepped away, spiriting him towards...somewhere. She would return to soul society in a few hours, the morning light coming so, she'd just have to tell her captain-lie-that the hallow was difficult, take a vacation day, and come to the world of the living, not the one she would usually visit, but this one.

She dropped off the scroll in the hokage's office, or what she could tell by the sign, up in the tan and red round building, and finally left Naruto off atop what looked like apartment complexes.

Rangiku was about to leave this world when she stopped herself, reaching into the top part of her kimono attire, and pulled out a piece of paper and pencil, wrote down something for him in the morning, and leaned down to put it in his pocket, and stopped after.

While leaning there, and the note in his pocket, she leaned further, inches from his face, noticing he was a cute little fella.

She kissed him briefly, then stood, hand on her hip, a playful smirk on her lips as she opened the sliding gates to soul society.

"I'll be back, Naruto-kun."

 **A/N**

 **Aaaaand scene, that's it, first chapter, hope ya liked it, cause I liked writing it. For those of you who don't know, this will be a harem story too, but that's up to you guys to decide the what and the who, so let me know and I will take tally points for them. And if your wondering what happened to Mizuki, the scroll, and what Rangiku wrote in that note, just wait, I will reveal what happens next time.**

 **Also, why she left him without trying to heal him you ask? Simple, he was exhausted, after using so much physical strength and Chakra, he just was whipped out.**

 **Making several armies of clones and then turning half with henge into giant shuriken's is hard.**

 **Any who, read, write a review, and come back again in a week for the next chapter! :^)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again! I just checked my email the other day and-holy crap that's a lot of favorites! I never-not in my books at all-had seen by that many people who loved my writing. I am blessed, good sir's and madam's, thank you for your kindness, really.**

 **Also, Naruto and Rangiku will not instantly be together, I know there were a few who worried about that. Rest assured, that kiss she gave him was merely chaste, a foot print if you will. She did it because she could, and the reason she thought he was cute was because he-at the moment-is a kid, who just so happens to be able to keep her interest with his boisterous style, much like herself-in a way.**

 **And he will have a zanpakuto, don't worry, I researched it and came to a conclusion that should satisfy you. His shikai will come from a place you might not guess, and if you do, your awesome.**

 **But it won't be revealed till later.**

 **Any who, let's get this story go'in, for I own nothing of either respective anime's/manga.**

To Pass Inexplicably

Iruka found himself in a tight situation. Right now, in front of him, lay a bloodied, but breathing, Naruto. He checked the boy and saw that his injuries were not but nicks by now, and it seemed that he was only suffering from Chakra exhaustion, as if he had used much of it up in but a short time. He'd wake up soon, but Iruka made no move to tie him. How could he, Naruto grew up in the same fashion he had, alone and scared, unwanted and shunned. No one wanted them, they gave them nothing, only whispers and glares. For that reason, they both became something like a clown, doing things that at the very least got people to look at them and talk to them. Granted, they shouted at them for being 'idiots,' but neither had cared, for recognition was all they wanted.

That was the reason he could do nothing, couldn't bring himself to turn Naruto in, for they were the same, in a sense.

"Ow..."

A groan of annoyance came from the boy as waking life slowly took hold. Iruka looked on as he turned about, as if he didn't wish to open his eyes, wishing only to remain asleep. But, eventually, he opened his blue orbs. Groggy, he was at first, and so Naruto could only sit up, could only blink away the clouds of sleep from his oceanic eyes. Then, he noticed Iruka, standing there, his own eyes regarding Naruto with scrutiny, as if unsure of something...

"Ah, hey Iruka."

The man said nothing, only staring on, thinking.

"Uh, hello, Iruka, can you here me?" The boy asked again, trying to gain the man's absent attention.

Still more silence.

"Are you ignoring me?" Naruto was a bit mad now.

Nothing.

"Iruka!" He shouted.

The boy shot up, slightly irate, causing the man to shake his head.

"Naruto, I don't know why you did it."

Anger slipped away and was filled by confusion., then the whiskered boy asked-

"Wha?"

Iruka dipped his head, brows furrowed.

"Why did you steal the scroll Naruto?"

The boy looked at Iruka for a moment, then looked around, then back to Iruka. It was then, at that moment, that Naruto realized he screwed up.

"Bah! Where is it! If I don't get it to Mizuki I'll fail the test! No no no no!" The boy screamed, looking about, running back and forth, worry present on his face.

Iruka on the other hand was taken aback by what the boy said. Mizuki put him up to it. And he knew Naruto wasn't lying either, he knew the boy well enough to see how terrible at it he was. Plain and simple, he could not lie, even if he tried. But that didn't shock him, no, it was who put him up to it that surprised Iruka. His friend, fellow teacher, fellow shinobi, had betrayed the leaf. But why? Why would he do that?

He realized that Naruto was still yelling and grabbed the boy's shoulder, stopping him.

"Naruto, Mizuki told you to do this, right?"

A nod.

"Naruto, that wasn't a test, he-"

"Ya it was, so I could get my headband, he told me so." They boy was defiant.

"He lied to you Naruto, he wanted you to steal it for...whatever reason." He honestly didn't know.

Silence hung there for a moment, until Naruto brushed the man's hand aside.

"I don't believe you." His voice was low.

"Naruto I-"

"You've been so hard on me, and no matter how hard I try, you just keep failing me. So why should I trust you? Mizuki was _kind_ to me, he was giving me another chance, a chance you didn't give, he was gonna let me pass! But you, you keep pushing me around..." It was an angry tone, turning furious.

His voice lowered further.

"I hate you."

Iruka bristled at this, his own anger beginning to broil and writhe within him as Naruto talked about how he was unfair to him. But those last words, toppled with the last night events, and the betrayal of his friend, pushed Iruka over the edge.

"You know nothing!"

And Iruka slugged Naruto across the face, making stars explode before the boy's vision, dotting his eyes with pinpricks of white, for a moment, as he tumbled back on the roof tops in a tangled mess of limbs. Naruto sprung up a moment later, shocked for a moment, then furious the next.

"I've been helping you!" Iruka bellowed, rushing towards Naruto, fists raised.

" _Liar!_ "

And Naruto met his sensei in the middle, both in a fit of worked up rage.

Naruto caught the first fist but was blind-sided by an elbow to the cheek as Iruka followed through with his momentum. Recovering, Naruto swung his leg around, side kicking the man in the gut, driving him back a few steps. The whiskered blond leapt up and came down, foot extended.

Iruka raised his arms in time, blocking the axe kick, then grabbed Naruto by the ankle, swinging his entire body back, bringing Naruto back with him, slamming the blond into the apartment roof with a loud thud, and was about to get up, when Iruka got on top of him, pinning him down, one hand clasped around his neck.

"Listen you little brat!" Iruka yelled, his voice filled with rage as Naruto clawed at his wrist, trying to free himself. "You and I are just the same! When I lost my parents to the demon fox, I was left with no one! Everyone glared at me, ignored me! When I was in the academy, I had to act stupid just so I could get _some_ kind ofrecognition!"

 _WHAM!_

Naruto's face contorted into a painful grimace as his head whip lashed from the blow.

"I know why they hate you too, why I hated you until I saw who you really are!"

This one was straight on, his punch nearly breaking the boys' nose.

" _Because you are the Jinjuriki of the nine tales!"_

Naruto's eyes snapped open, his blue orbs snapping crimson for a moment as _he_ punched Iruka, _hard_ , sending him flying back.

"You bastard!" Naruto bellowed with fury, already standing with knuckle white fists.

He rushed forward, ready to continue the fight, ready to beat Iruka into the roof and down into the ground, when a flash of white robes filled his vision.

Naruto skidded to a stop, nearly bowling into the very man who he saw as a grandpa.

"Jiji!"

Yes, the current Hokage of konohagakure, in all of his glory, stood before Naruto. His white hat with red triangle top peered over the man's wrinkled visage, and his white robe danced in the slight breeze, making the scarlet flames emboldened at the bottom look as though they truly were aflame.

"Naruto," his voice was calm, holding a slight edge near the end, "you can stop this fight now."

It was a warning for him not to continue the fight, lest he enrage the man and dwindle his patience. Naruto did, at the very least, out of respect, knowing the man wouldn't really hurt him.

"Mizuki has been apprehended, and has told us that he was planning to frame you after you stole the scroll for him, he told us everything," He told, quietly adding, "Anko Mitarashi made sure of that..."

Naruto took a step back, realizing that Iruka was telling the truth about Mizuki, and if that was true, then so too...

"Naruto, are you okay, you look sick to the stomach?" Sarutobi asked, concern replacing his once stoic face.

The blond could only nod, shaken by the revalation. He was about to ask if he could just go home when Iruka stood, walked and half stumbled over to Naruto. Then, with his eyes gleaming with a calmness and his voice soft, he said-

"I think you deserve this, Naruto. I'm sorry for...everything." He hesitated on his words-whether he was apologizing for his curse or the fight, he knew not. But he did not hesitate in his actions. Rough fingers raised to the back of his head, untying the cloth of his headband, holding it out to the boy. Naruto looked at it, then to Iruka.

"Iruka...are you sure of this, when he passes, we can no longer protect him when he goes on a mission." Sarutobi told, but soon realized, soon saw the look the younger man had in his eyes. The same determination Naruto possessed, the hurt both of them shared.

"Alright," the Hokage receded, "just make sure he gets his team assignment tomorrow."

With that, Sarutobi shunshined away.

Iruka handed Naruto his headband, taking a step back.

Naruto looked at the leaf symbol etched into the metal, the symbol for shinobi here. _He_ was a shinobi here. _He_ had the chance to become the Hokage here, all because of Iruka, because the man believed in him.

He said it all the time, and finally, it paid off, dattebayo!

Naruto wrapped the headband around his temple, tied it off, and grinned, but before he could give a whoop of triumph, Iruka asked him a question.

"Ramen?"

"Ramen?" Naruto repeated.

"Ramen." Iruka affirmed.

"Ramen!" Naruto shouted, smiling like a cheshire cat.

And soon they find themselves sitting in ichiraku's, downing ramen like it was choice steak, garbling down noodles and broth as if it the elixir of life. Which to Naruto...it kinda was. While Iruka loved ramen, there was no way he could keep up with the boy-who was a few bowls ahead of him. The only ones that could possibly beat him in eating ramen was an Akimichi, and even then, he wasn't sure...

The boys' love for ramen was unnatural.

But Iruka didn't dwell on how Naruto was able to eat literal pounds of noodles and beef and not burst like a balloon, that kind of scientific thinking was beyond him.

Ayame came near the counter, setting two more bowls down for them. She was about to go back in when a gleam of silver caught her brown orbs. She had to rub her eyes and pinch her arm when she saw it, the head band, the leaf symbol etched prominanty on the boys head. Ayame leaned over the counter and poked it, as if testing if it were there.

"You got your headband!" She exclaimed, half in disbelief, the other half in joy, clasping her hands together with big 'ole smile up one side of her face.

"Heh heh, ya, Iruka gave me his, and now I can go on mission's!" Naruto told, grinning with pride.

Ayame frowned suddenly, saying-

"That's not good."

"What? Why's that?" His grin faltered.

"Well, because you eat so much ramen here..."

"What, what about it?" He leaned over the table concerned.

She smiled.

"...You pay for most of our stuff."

And the boy fell out of his seat, body careening back in his chair, head striking against the hard ground with a sharp thud. He clutched the back of his skull in slight pain, a welt forming there. Iruka and Ayame laughed at him, jovial and filled with jest, but Naruto grumbled, stood, and glared. But then, he brushed himself off, frown disappearing, being replaced by a cheeky grin that could have put the devil to shame.

"Oh, you wound me so, I guess I'll just go home, what friends are you to laugh at a downed man?" He spoke as if he were in Shakespeare, even going as far as placing one hand over his heart, the other extended out in play form, whilst a fake look of hurt came across his face. His arms fell down and he soon turned, walking away, that grin ever present.

Iruka turned towards Ayame, confusion riddling his face. She looked at him with the same expression, then it dawned on her. She reached into her apron and pulled out the check, placing the paper down, writing a number, then turned it towards Iruka. His eyes widened at the amount, and he bolted up in his chair, taking a look down the street, only to find Naruto long gone.

"Damn it Naruto! I'm in dept now!" The man screamed, furious.

Said boy was already at his apartment door, his grin toned down to a smile as he turned the nob, coming into his apartment, closing the door being him. He put his hands in his pockets and was about to walk towards the bathroom to take a shower, when a crinkle sound reached his ears.

Paper.

He fished around in his pocket and pulled out a small piece folded up. Unraveling it, he found it was a note, to him no less. Why was there a note in his pocket? When did it get there? Last night? And why did the hand writing look girly-in his opinion.

Then, it hit him.

A shrill roar piercing the air, a beautiful woman, him forming clones, it all came back, the night before.

He began reading the note, seeking more information, wanting to know who that woman was. The more he read, the more he looked for answers, the more questions he had. What was souls society? Why did she call herself a soul reaper? Apparently, she was coming back too?

What was going on!

Naruto walked over to a trash bin and dropped the note in, dragged his feet into his room, collapsing face first on his bed, and gave a groan. He mumbled out a sharp curse and flipped over, his forearm crossing over his eyes to shade himself from the flickering light-bulb.

"I wonder when she'll be here, if she's real." Naruto spoke aloud, thinking he was going nuts. For all he knew, someone planted that note on him, just to mess with him. And that 'hollow' he fought was just a fevered dream when he was knocked out by...something, somehow. He just wanted to forget it all, leave well enough alone, forget the 'dream' and note, sleep, and wake up for the team assignment's tomorrow, be the shinobi he was meant to be. He moved his arm and saw the light was still fading in and out.

"I just changed that, why-"

And it shattered, making Naruto jump up in surprise, drawing a kunai out of instinct, holding its point in a reverse grip. As he looked on, his tense muscles loosened a little, just slightly. But his eyes-impossibly-widened. He remembered her, no one could forget such a being as she, her black kimono like clothes-separated and opened at the chest, enough to let his mind go sou-

Naruto coughed, clearing his head with a shake.

" _Heeeeeey~"_ Rangiku Matsumoto crooned a greeting

"Don't 'hey' me lady! You just broke into my house!" He felt indignation crawl up his back.

"Oh come on Naruto," she sang, "if I'm taking the week off _just_ to train you, can't I have some hospitality." She winked, like last night, only this time, more playful, pointing a finger up at him.

The whiskered blond looked down to her sides-and not _at_ her sides mind you-and saw suit cases stacked there, as if she knew he couldn't reject him.

"No way! You can't barge in and expect me to-" his tongue fell limp in his mouth, parched and dry as she leaned over, holding the edges of the top of her kimono attire, preparing to part the veils to, t-to-

Naruto looked away, head turned, yet his eyes wandered back a few times whilst he stuttered worse than a lamb.

"If you don't let me stay," she began her sweetly voiced threat, pulling the curtains of cloth a slight, "I'll _make_ you~" Her voice was intoxicating, and her actions persuading. She tugged a little more, threatening to lay bare herself.

"Okay okay! Just don't run around here naked!" His voice was high, whiskered cheeks flushed crimson, and his eyes darted like flies, up to her grinning face and down towards her large chest.

She stood more up right, pulling the kimono a bit tighter, still leaving him in well enough sight of her ample blessing's. She grabbed hold of her suit cases, and as she walked out of the room, looked back for a moment to smile cheekily at him, then walked out towards the front room.

Naruto's back hit the wall, the kunai clattered to the ground, and he slumped to the pillow on his bed, very unsure of life and all of its animosities. Rangiku returned shortly after, wearing hay colored pajamas with little sheep dotting the top and bottom halves, jumping over fences and such. Her curves were defined even more now, giving Naruto full view to her 'assets,' as it were.

"You really are moving in, aren't you?"

"Just for the week, all seven days, just for you." She told, smiling gently for once.

His head bowed briefly, then shot up, a bit of concern on his face.

"Then where'll you sleep?"

Her eyes drifted to his bed.

"Oh come on lady!"

"Please?" Rangiku asked, not too flirtatious this time around.

"Where will I sleep then?"

She shrugged.

He about fell out of the bed.

And then she giggled.

Ugh, it was a sweet sound, like chimes rustled beneath the wake of a gentle wind, but it bowed him to her will nontheless, just enough that he came off the bed and let her be. She skipped towards it and hopped up onto it. Rangiku flipped around, sat up, swung her legs over the edge, and beckoned him closer.

"Hey, tomorrow, I promise I'll teach you some things." Her voice was sincere, but the words prompted him to ask-

"What exactly _are_ you gonna teach me? I'm already a ninja, what else is there to learn?"

She arched a brow at him, then lowered it, then smiled that brilliant smile, pointing to one last case she left in his room. It was long and slim, so it didn't have clothes-that much he could tell, but when he looked back at her, her face was stern.

"When you open that case, and hold what is inside, you will wield a weapon capable of immense feats. Do _not_ open, until we finish your training."

Naruto took a fumbling step back, seeing a side of this beauty he hadn't yet seen before.

"Got it?" She asked, still serious.

He nodded, with a gulp.

"Okay~"

And with that, her bubbly self was back. Laying down on the bed, allowing her voluptuous hair to cascade out. She shifted back unto the his pillow, wrapped herself up in his sheets, and smiled brightly at him.

"Your training begins tomorrow, so don't forget."

He told her that he was going to be at the academy, getting assigned to a genin team, to which she shrugged off and said-

"-Eh, I guess you'll have to work into the night then." She smiled gently, as if to say that it couldn't be that bad.

He nodded, smiling too, wishing her a good night sleep. He walked away and came into his lounging room, where off in one corner lay her suitcases. He ignored them and took off his jumpsuit and equipment, leaving him in his frog headed boxers, and jumped into the couch. He stretched, letting his bones pop, as he lay down across its cushioned surface.

 _I wonder what kind of training she'll have me do?_ He thought, curiously.

 **A/N There ya go! Second chapter! Hope it twas not crap! But seriously, you guys are awesome, the reviews you gave were good and constructive, pointing out flaws-hollow not hallow-and the like. Thank ya kindly for the gratitude, and please know that things will start to pick up the next chapter, I just wanted to give Rangiku some time to organize a whole week cleared for our blond hero. I won't spend too much time in the training, just enough so that Naruto gets the basics of being a shinigami. Also, the reason Naruto can see Rangiku is this: Chakra comes from the combined efforts of the physical/ mental/ _spiritual_ parts. So, in a sense, one third of Chakra is spiritual power, because it comes from the strength of his soul. Because of this, anyone, accept for lee I believe, can see a soul reaper.**

 **Technical things aside, I bet your wondering whats in the suit case.**

 **Is it a gigai ball so he can go in a soul form-forget the name for the pill, will look it up?**

 **Is it something from the research and development?**

 **Or...is it something else entirely?**

 **Let the theories begin! And if anyone can guess it first, I'll let them pick a girl to add for the harem, only one though-I gotta regulate it ya know!**

 **Well, guess that's it, you guys-and gal's if there be-have a grand week! So until next time,**

 **Review and write:^)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, you guys have stayed till now, goodness gracious, you all are awesome. I do hope that I keep your interests, and I hope that you'll stay for the long run. And for those who are wondering, Naruto won't be that over-powered, its only in certain instances when he can access more Chakra, like when he's super pissed or super determined.**

 **Anyone ever notice that this happens with _any_ character in _any_ anime? Meh...**

 **Concerning the harem though, Naruto will mentally grow more after a while, and soon so too will his age. The harem itself won't be massive, but it will be a good size, manageable-if you will.**

 **By the way, like I said last chapter, things will pick up, and the bell test will begin next chapter, and soon, I hope**

 **Without a further a do, and with my disclaimer in hand-I own nothing-let the story continue.**

Better Late Than Never!

Naruto awoke with a start. Something was off, something in the air was strange, as if the oxygen was filtered through with a screen. Off in the other room, he could hear a strange sound, a rapid ticking, and a grumble? A curse came to his ears, and then a shattering smash, stopping the ringing. A contented sigh, barely audible through the walls, came to him, then next what came, was of snoring.

What the...

Then it came to him, the alarm. The alarm he had set. The alarm he set for the morning. The very one that he'd probably have to replace now after a certain curvious woman smashed it. Hm. hmmm.

"Oh shit."

Naruto cursed fouly and sprung up in his froggy boxers, flipped over the couch-more like tumbled face first-and sprinted over to his bedroom closet. His feet thudded to a stop as he nearly ripped the sliding closet door off its hinges, looking for the right clothes. All before him were a line of orange jumpsuits, each with that same high white collar.

Behind him, Rangiku groaned over his rustling noises, peeking under her lids to see a nearly stark nude Naruto. In her groggy state, she merely raised a brow to it, then closed her eyes a moment later. Then, she opened her eyes again, half-lidded, and grinned cheekily.

"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were giving me a show."

Her voice purred out teasingly, making the boy jump in surprise, then he shrank in embarrassment, then annoyance came and mixed itself in as a red tint filtered across his whiskered visage.

"Hey! I'm the only one allowed to be the pervert here!"

"Who said I was the pervert, your the one giving the show." Rangiku's sassy reply came next, filling the boy with frustration.

He wanted to have a comeback, say something that'd wipe that smirk off her face, but with nothing popping up in his head, he simply growled under his breath. He whipped around and grabbed his jumpsuit, zipped up, and reached down for his sandles. A sharp whistle came next, a cat call, and yet another flush came dancing across his face. He quickly put on his sandles, grabbed his headband, and got ready to leave when the soul reaper called for him.

"Naruto, don't forget the suit case, bring it with you to that forest we first met."

"Why can't you?" He snapped back, still flustered with her teasing him.

"Awe, Naruto, you don't expect a beautiful woman like me to carry such a heavy thing, do you?" Her voice wasn't pleading, more complaining than anything, but it held that chime sound that bent him to her will. He grabbed the thing up and left, grumbling about lazy free-loaders.

On his way out the door, he grabbed the rest of his gear, kunai and shuriken alike, and other such things.

He walked down the street at a leisurely pace, ignoring the glances and scowls he got, only smiling bigger, knowing that he was about to get a team. Two people, and a sensei, three who would witness him, know him not as... _that_. He was the jailer of the nine-tails, and although the knowledge explained why people gave him the cold shoulder and wouldn't open up their hearts to him, that didn't make any of it better. But, he supposed, it could be worse, he could have been the fox himself, could be trapped and never to be let out, never to taste freedom, never to see the world through his own eyes.

The thought ran a cold chill through his spine.

Soon, he made it to the academy, stepping through its doors he'd stepped through thousands of times before. Walked the halls he'd walked a many times. But this time, instead of trepidation because he failed before, he strode with _pride_ , joy in his heart, knowing that he succeeded! No more would he see failure, no, for he would only know glory an victory!

In the end, he was just a damned happy fellow.

He opened the door to class, looking to his right, seeing Iruka.

The man nodded a greeting, smiling.

Naruto returned the gesture, giving a thumbs up.

The whiskered blond came over to a seat, next to a brooding Uchiha, who's only acknowledgment was a 'hm.' Naruto grinned and chuckled a little. He put the long case on the table and rested his feet on the atop that, leaning back a bit on the hind legs of the chair, arms crossed and fingers laced behind his neck. Content, he was content, just the same as everyone took their seats, ready to get going with his ninja business, though a few gave a glance towards the case, confused, then decided it wasn't all that important.

It was just Naruto, what was the worst he could do?

Then he heard shouting, a thud of rushing feet, arguing that grew closer. He recognized those voices, Sakura and Ino. The pinkette and blond, both extremely terrifying when they desired to be. Something told him, just as they burst through the door, that he shouldn't be sitting where he was sitting. But he couldn't put a finger on it. Why should he move? He couldn't think of why, after all, he was just sitting next to...to...

For the second time that day, Naruto cursed.

And the wrath of two girls came down on him.

Launched from his chair liked a rocket, he was. His face being slammed against by two white knuckled konoichi, his body rising to the ceiling before falling unto the floor below. The back of his head struck first-funny how that happened so often-and the rest of his body bounced from the sheer force. It was then he remember why he didn't sit next to Sasuke, because of two overly obsessed girls.

"That'll teach you to sit next to Sasuke-kun!" The pinkette roared about like a hollow then.

"Ya!" Ino seconded.

They looked to one another, just for a moment, then both began shouting once more, arguing who'd sit next to the boy they so admired, leaving Naruto to grumble.

He stood and brushed himself off, grabbed the suit case and sat next to Choji and the lazy Nara.

"Rough day, huh?" Shikamaru asked.

"Fricken free-loaders persuading me, calling me a pervert. Damned konoichi and their obsessions and double damned fricken hollow's starting all this..."

Naruto continued on, mumbling obscenities, making Shikamaru and Choji to scoot a bit further away, wishing not to aggravate the livid blonde any further.

Iruka eventually shouted at the two with that strange big-headed technique, making them sit down and grumble, and soon-without any further interruptions-he began reading off the lists of people that'd be together in a team, and the sensei they would be assigned to. One by one, they were named off, their team leader-as it were-came in, taking them somewhere to do something. Eventually, in the middle of Naruto's mumbling rant, Iruka called his, Sakura, and Sasuke's names.

"And your sensei will be...oh, well, it will be Kakashi Hatake. You may be here for awhile..."

And then Iruka left, and when Naruto looked, it was only the three of them. He raised a brow to this but shrugged, sitting down and propping his feet up again, deciding to relax until their sensei came, forgetting the incident earlier.

His thoughts began to drift, and his simple relaxing began to fall into slumber.

"Hey Naruto! Wake up!"

A yell brought him back, jerking his muscles into action, accidentally kicking the suitcase off the table. He looked left and right, and scowled a little.

"Sakura, what was that for!"

The pinkette blinked, shrank back, then pointed to the suitcase.

"It was starting to glow, and we didn't know what was happening..." She told, actual trepidation still in her voice.

He turned towards the case, and saw that it was not glowing, but instead, it was slightly ajar.

"Oh no."

Naruto got up and kneeled before it, ready to simply shut and lock it, but retracted his hand when indeed it began to omit a light from itself. Sakura got up and pointed at him, as if in her own accusation, telling him she were right.

But Naruto didn't hear her, he didn't hear Sasuke get up and look down with actual interest, didn't hear them step closer to him and the light bearing case.

All he could hear was the whispers.

Someone, their tone a deep drum beat, graveled with a scent of power and strength, it called out to him, wishing, pleading to be held, to be used, to do as he wanted. Naruto's hands fell on the case, but he did not close the case, no, instead, he opened it. Light did not pour forth and shoot into the sky, nothing jumped out at him, instead, the light stopped, ceased to brill out. What he found, was a simple katana, a standard looking piece, only shined enough to gleam. Yet still, the voice persisted, as his hands came down unto its simple handle, the voice no longer a whisper, now only a stern voice of action, saying only three words.

" _Say my name."_

Inside the gleam of the blade, he saw a reflection of a balding man, middle aged, squared glasses and flannel shirt with brown jacket. Below he wore simple jeans and dirty boots.

He and Naruto stared at one another, the man squinting in the scenery of a desert.

The whiskered blond hadn't noticed that he had already picked the blade up, but he did notice its change in size. The simple looking katana had grown longer than his own height, yet it still retained the very same style, single edge with a flat guard. Naruto began to mumble something, maybe the being name, but was snapped out of his daze by a shouting Sakura.

"That sword! Its such a strange shape and size!"

Naruto turned to her, wanted to say something she'd hit him for, but stayed his tongue. He turned back to the sword, finding the reflection gone, the balding man, the desert behind him, gone. A pang of sadness hit him then, for some reason, wishing to know the name of the man he'd seen. It was odd, the connectivness he'd felt, as if they were the one and the same, despite the appearances.

In the end, he could do nothing but let it go, for now.

He sat back down, laying the sword on the table, staring at it for a little bit, before finally relaxing once more.

"Hey, where did you get that anyway." Sakura asked, quite curiously in fact.

With a sigh, he said-

"I have no clue where it came from, but a," he stopped, realizing that if he told _Sakura_ that a woman of such...curves gave him this, in the way he was going to say it, he'd be punched, _hard_.

"A nice lady gave this to me."

She looked at him for a moment, then shrugged, thinking the thing had been henged to make it _look_ impressive.

"Okay." She said at last, as she and Sasuke sat back down.

Back at Naruto's, Rangiku was just starting to get up, her slim belly growling with hunger. She groaned, sat up, and groaned some more.

"Why didn't I have him make me breakfast?"

She hopped out, agile as a cat, and strode towards the kitchen, her objective, a strange concoction of food that only she would enjoy, so long as they weren't bamboo shoots, nasty things.

Rangiku made it to the kitchen, tying an apron around her waist, and got to making herself something good. She grabbed a pot and began putting eggs, leak, and everything else in the kitchen went flying into the pot as she added more strange foods into the odd concoction.

A few minutes later, she was finished, and took the contents out of her pot and onto a plate, breathing deeply of its delicious smell. She was about to gobble it down when it hit her, a spiritual pressure she hadn't quiet felt before. She got up from her shock, starting for her shinigami clothes when the power began to rise even higher, then, it stopped.

Mouth ajar, she turned towards the direction she felt the power come from, and in that moment knew who it was, with the slight familiarity she already had with it.

"He opened the case."

She looked back at the bowl of purple slop she called breakfast, then back towards where Naruto exhibited his spiritual pressure.

"Tsk, damn kid, I hope he didn't blow up the academy."

and she sat back down, eating her food.

Back at the school, Naruto sneezed, rousing himself from slight slumber, then felt a chill run down his spine. What was that just now? He felt as though someone had mentioned him, and not in a pleasant manner either. But he shrugged it off, grabbed the large sword on his desk, and headed for the window. When he parked his feet atop the window sill, sitting on his haunches, Sakura asked what he was doing.

"I'm tired of waiting, I'm gonna go on the roof and train." He told, about to leap out of the building side.

"Why would you practice with a henge?"

He stopped, head tilted back, eyes squinted at her, as if in question.

"You think this is a henge?"

And he left, with both Sakura and Sasuke confused and-the latter-intrigued.

Naruto climbed his way atop the building, making it to the roof, and began to swing the massive sword. He didn't right know how to really use a sword, though they did do extensive training involving kunai, and went with what felt right. He found that-with begrudgedness-his short stature would not allow an upswing, unless his intention was to tear up the roof or ground he stood on. But, he found that a small jump gave him enough room to do so, if not improve it.

Eventually, because of this small discovery, he found that instead of swinging with his arm, he should swing with his whole body. The transfer of energy, despite his small frame, made more force, due to his weight and mass being used in the swing. From then on, he began doing that, noticing how, no matter how far out he placed the sword from even one hand, he felt no weight, as if it were not but a feather, despite its enormous size.

Meh, devil in the details...so many details.

He pulled his arm back, sword pointed to the sky, and swung.

"Wow!"

He stopped his swing in time, hanging its edge dangerously close to someone he didn't know. The man was tall, lanky, and had grey hair lopsided to the side, spiking at the ends. He had a headband on, the leaf symbol and all, covering on of his eyes, like a patch, whilst a blue mask covered the lower half. He wore the standard, green flack jacket with pouches at the sides, and below he wore the navy blue pants and sandals.

"Hey! Watch where you shunshin! I could have cut you!" Naruto shouted, angry that someone stopped his training. The man in question went from a surprised look, to that of a calm chill, holding out a piece sign.

"Yo..."

Sakura and Sasuke appeared next to him as Naruto pulled his sword away, resting it in the roofs top with a palm on the pommel.

"Don't kill the teacher Naruto!" Sakura screamed, miffed that he almost killed the man, though her 'inner Sakura' wished he had at least bonked the man for being late.

"Well he should watch for...wait, sensei? _He's_ our teacher?"

Kakashi Hatake face palmed then, soon after bringing his head back up to say-

"You're all idiots."

 **A/N**

 **Avast ye reader! Third chapter has been read and complete! I hope it satisfied you, and if the shortness bothers you, I shall lengthen them.**

 **Roar! More content!**

 **Haha, sorry, mess'in around, but anyway...if you guys can figure out who Naruto's zampakto spirit is, I'll let you choose a girl to add to the harem-which can be from either world.**

 **So far it goes Rangiku, and Soifon.**

 **Also, if you guys like my work, go to amazon and maybe by a copy of my series, witches warrior.**

 **You don't have to though.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading, and please, leave a review, write a comment, and have a pleasant day:^)**


	4. Chapter 4

**No one so far has guessed the zampakto spirit yet? Bah, don't worry, you'll figure it out later in the chapter. Anyway, you guys are awesome, and I hope your ready, because today, we get to see Naruto talk with his spirit! This chapter isn't too spectacular, but hopefully-muse willing-I will begin the land of waves next chapter. If not, please don't kill me...**

 **Anyway, onward and to forth! Towards the great land known as fanfiction! Ahoy!**

 **I own nothing!**

Chapter 4

Training a Reference

After a certain incident involving nearly cutting his sensei in two, Naruto was thoroughly questioned about his sword, his team-mates and Kakashi getting on his case about its origin's. He told them all they needed to know, that a kind lady gave him this, and told him that he could train with it. It was a half truth, which was the best kind of lie, and so it seemed they believed him. Or at least, Sakura was content with that, Sasuke and Kakashi were suspicious, but let it be as it was, for now.

With that over, their team leader went on and asked them some questions about themselves-however remaining secretive in his own past. They thought it was unfair, but he waved it off and asked the pinkette. She looked to Sasuke several times and mumbled insensible things, to which the man groaned and pointed towards Naruto instead.

"Huh, me," the boy blinked, then grinned like a shark, "well I am gonna be the next Hokage, dattebayo! And then everyone will acknowledge how awesome I am!" The boy went on, telling him all that he'd do. When he eventually stopped, Kakashi had to clean out his ear because of all the shouting. He pointed towards Sasuke next, and asked him the same question.

"I have no interests, and what you could call a dream, its more of an ambition. You see, there's a certain man I will kill." His onyx eyes drew colder, fixating on a memory from his past, and his fingers clenched tighter.

Everyone looked on at him, eyes wide and a bit put off by his words, all for except Kakashi.

With all introduced, Kakashi told them that there would be a test tomorrow, down at a training ground. He went on to give specific instructions, of what time to be there, early morning, and that they were suggested not to eat, because they may puke. They all moaned about it, cursing slightly, but nodded nonetheless as he dismissed them for home.

Naruto did go home, seeing if Rangiku was still sleeping and being lazy. To his surprise, she was not home, and instead there was a note, saying that she was in the forest they had met, and it told him that as soon as he read it, he should head there, with the sword. Wondering how she knew that he had uncased the blade, Naruto left for the woods, slightly sheepish. If she knew he had opened the case, then what would she do? She said not to, unless he was ready, but then again, maybe he wasn't in trouble. Maybe it was when he learned the name of that guy in the sword, maybe that was the power she was talking about.

He eventually made it, back to the shed they had met, though now it lay in shambles, yet she was no where in sigh-

"Hello Naruto~"

A soft whisper in his ear made Naruto leap high, then he turned, facing the blessed buxamed broad.

"Hey, don't sneak up on a guy like that!" He shouted, feeling his heart pound faster, from the soft whisper or the surprise, he couldn't tell.

She ignored him and instead inspected the sword. She was surprised by the size, seeing as how he was about as tall as her captain, but knew that he just had enough control over his Reiyuko that it wasn't any bigger. When she got close enough, she found that he, in fact, had not activated his true shikai, probably why it still looked like a katana-in style. When she asked him about it, he said that he had heard a voice, rough and powerful, and it beckoned him to speak its name. Rangiku took a pose of thought and came up with an idea.

"Alright, you weren't supposed to open the case and wield the sword, but at least you didn't destroy anything. That's why I brought you here, so that any destruction caused would be unimportant."

"But how are we gonna train?" Naruto asked, curious.

Rangiku grinned, a cheshire grin that bespelled enjoyment for her, but unpleasantness for him. He saw this, and quivered as she drew her sword, holding it with two hands, aloft and in front of her. White Reiatsu began to burst around her, a swirling mass of flame it was, and a pressure built over him, as if his body was filling with lead. Then, she spoke.

"Right now, your objective is to stay alive, don't forget that, as I come after you..."

And the white aura burst into an inferno as she lunged at him, enveloping Naruto in a weight he could only just fight against. But through the fear that began to burn in him, the terror the gnawed at his heels, he remained defiant! Standing his ground, even as her sword landed against his! He fell to a knee, on the verge of collapse, just from that grinding clash, but kept his sword up, blocking the continued strike. She pulled back, and threw her sword at him again, and he blocked that way too.

Rangiku slid his sword above his head and kicked him in the chest, sending him into the trees, an impromptu rocket of orange he was as he crashed down into the ground. He stood a moment latter, his legs swaying beneath him as Rangiku came out flying like a banshee, up-swinging her blade against his. He could barely meet her blade with enough force to block, and Naruto found himself whip-lashing from the blow.

Rangiku threw swing after swing at him, and he barely blocked them, and a few times he nearly found his head rolling down a hill, but Naruto was stubborn. Naruto persisted, despite the fear. Naruto kept at it, realizing that he had to keep blocking, find an opening, something! But no matter what, he knew that he could never take his eyes off of Rangiku, because when he did, she would punish him, swing harder, forcing him to pay attention to her and everything she did.

Then, he caught her off guard, he had finally found an opening, and he took full advantage of it.

Swinging down, he past through her guard, cutting something, he didn't know what, he was too enwrapped in the fight to rightly know.

Soon after, he brought his sword back up in defense, ready to parry any oncoming attacks, ones that never came. The world came back into focus, and Naruto could now see why she stopped attacking him. He hadn't cut _her_ , no, instead, he had cut her obi, that wrap that kept her clothes on-even though the top was already about open. But now, she clutched the rest of what was left to her chest, keeping him from seeing what was there, but she failed to cover her behind, which stuck out enough for him to see.

"Gah!" He screamed, cowering back, assuming that she'd punch him-or cut him down-for what he did, instead, he found she was scolding _herself_.

"Huh, I knew I should have put more effort into it, man, now I have to go and replace my robes." She looked to him, her angry glare still present, but soon it dissolved into a soft peer of the eyes, as if she decided it was a good swing.

"You did good kid, most people under that kind of pressure would be overwhelmed at first, but you, you held on through it." A pretty smile lit up her face as she walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder-whilst the other remained over her large chest.

"That will be enough training for now, lets go back and have lunch."

He nodded, trying-in vain- to keep his eyes off Rangiku's ample behind. If she noticed he was staring, she did little to dissuade it from him, as she flash stepped home with him in hand. He asked how she did that, and she said she would teach him later, for now they needed to eat and get ready for tomorrow. Naruto told her about the bell test tomorrow and she told him that, whenever he came back, they would train, as with any other time.

She changed into simple citizen clothes, and had him cook some ramen-findng a whole stock pile of it earlier-and proceeded to eat once it was done. When night came, Rangiku asked if he'd like to sleep in his bed with her. Embarrassed, he said no, she laughed, and said she trusted him, and said that even if he _did_ try anything-

"Your zampakto will find itself half its size..."

Reluctant-especially after that-he nodded, striping to his boxers as she hopped in before him, thankfully wearing her sheep pajamas. He got in next, whiskered cheeks redder than a ripe tomato, resting his heated head against the pillow. Naruto felt her shift around, her back to his, ready for sleep too. But, just as he found himself nodding off, she spoke softly, a quiet tone of reprevment leaving her gentle lips.

"You know, I wouldn't really hurt you, Naruto. Your just a kid after all."

He wanted to shout at her, deny that he was a kid, show her that he wasn't by challenging her to another fight. But, surprising himself, he kept silent, feeling down, deep down in him, that at the touch of her words, it rung a bell of truth. Naruto stared on into the darkening room, silent in his own mind, letting sleep take him with spirits down.

Naruto found himself awake a moment later, as if no time had past, as if he had only closed his eyes a moment ago, having only a sleepless dream. It took but a half second for him to draw in his senses, as his bleary eyes cleared. He felt as though he had rested his head against the softest pillow yet. Or, was it two? He tried to move out of bed and get ready for the bell test, but found that he couldn't.

He looked down, and saw a pair of slim arms wrapped firmly over his small frame. He was about to remove them when they moved up and over his head, turning his face round to the two soft pillows, which turned out to be Rangiku's melonous chest. Naruto nearly lost his mind then, being so close to such...grandness.

How did she not have back problems?

The whiskered blonde could only writhe within her iron grip, unable to get out of such valleys as these. But he needed to go soon, or he'd be late! What was he to do?

Then it came to him.

With as much strength as he could muster, he reached up with one of his hands, and grabbed her side with a pinching force.

Blue eyes snapped open and a shriek filled the air as a surprised Matsumoto jumped, not in pain, but in the nerve twisting pinch that made about anyone jump. She raised a fist by instinct, and accidentally punched Naruto through one of his walls. Dry wall and plaster exploded in a shower of cough inducing dust. A moment later, she leapt out of the bed, hair frizzled like a banshee, as she rushed to his side. She yelled his name whilst shaking him like a rag doll, asking if he were okay.

"Naruto! No! I think I killed him!"

"You...idiot, s-stop shaking me..."

"Ah! Where is his soul! Naruto!"

She dropped his body, looking about.

"I'm still alive-"

And she descended like a harpy, grabbing him again into her chest, turning side to side, crying out that she was sorry. He eventually pulled away, flustered, and went to grab his sword, taking it up and already walking out the door. Rangiku called after, but he kept striding away, deliberately ignoring her. He was at the door, and he stopped, tilting his head back at her, eyes perched in a heated glare, a bit of hurt still left in those saphiric orbs.

The door slammed shut behind him as he stormed away, leaving a crest fallen Rangiku behind.

Naruto climbed the building's, hoping to make it to the training ground before Kakashi, which he doubted he would be later than him, but he sped on regardless. He leapt across the gaps between the roofs with minimal effort, sword resting on his shoulder as he did so. Naruto's mind began to wonder as he rushed through the air, thinking on all that was occurring. One day, a curvy woman came along and broke the chain of his destiny, so it seemed. She gave him a sword, is training him, living within his own apartment, sleeping in his bed-hell she even snuggled with him!

But something was wrong, he could feel something sinister laying overhead, like some great beast, perched, just waiting for the right moment to pluck him out of the sky.

Thoughts aside, he eventually made it to the forest, those pondering's still swimming in his head. Naruto found the clearing of the training ground, spotting both his team-mates, yet no sign of their new sensei. He greeted the two, and they greeted back, though they also glanced up at his sword. He noticed and asked what they were thinking, seeing that a perplexed stare had settled on their faces.

"It's just that..." Sakura began.

"That sword of yours, we get a strange feeling from it." Sasuke finished, nodding along with Sakura.

Naruto blinked.

"Listen, this is a gift from someone, so don't go around telling everyone about it." Naruto told, hoping they'd agree, his voice a bit commanding.

They did, but they also pushed the matter, asking who the lady was, or, if she was still around. He told them that she was a nice woman, and that she just happened about and was leaving soon, telling them that he didn't know where she was. Sakura gave up, but Sasuke didn't. The avenger secretly reminded himself to follow Naruto after this bell test was over.

Naruto walked a bit away from them, sitting cross legged with his blade rested over his legs. Putting both hands on his zampakto, he relaxed, knowing that their teacher wouldn't be here in an hour or so. Soon, relaxing turned to sleep. And sleep turned to-

"-Why am I in a dessert?"

Sure enough, he found himself sitting in the middle of a never ending sandy area. Sand-stone jutting out like fingers piercing through the dry surface of the land. The only thing he could see was orange and tan, for miles and miles, not a cloud in the sun beating sky. Then, in the fluctuating air, he saw a figure, one he only saw once before, only yesterday.

Naruto stood, peering through the heat, trying to get a better view of the man.

"Hey!" Naruto called out, hoping to catch the man's attention.

The man remained still, and if he looked close enough, Naruto saw the man's back was to him. He called out once more, louder with a hand cupped to the side of his mouth. Still, remained the man, and Naruto, he grew slightly frustrated. He walked over towards the man now, just to see who he was. The man turned suddenly, on the heel of his boot, his vivid eyes staring- _glaring_ -into Naruto's with an angry scrutiny.

" _GYA_!" Naruto retracted himself, stepping away from the man-as if bit by his stare.

A scowl burrowed itself through the man then, an ashamed grimace on his old wrinkled face.

"So you are my wielder..." His voice was rough, deep like a bass drum, holding a no non-sense tone.

"What a disappointment."

Naruto instantly went from weariness to offended, getting up in the man's face, yelling at the old guy, screaming-

"-What do ya mean by that! Huh bud!"

Naruto brought his arm back, snapping his fist forth with a twist, giving it his all!

 _SMACK!_

The sharp sound of white knuckle meeting calloused palm rung in Naruto's ears a moment later, deafening him, blue eyes widening and mouth hanging agape. He tried to retract himself, pull his arm back and get some distance, but the man's iron grip shackled him there. Naruto jerked back continually, trying to break free. Soon, jerking turned to thrashing, and streams of curses left his lips, as if they were to help in his freedom.

"Let go old man!" Naruto screamed.

"Do you think with that kind of power, that you, have any control over me." His assailant spoke, authority to his voice.

The boy stopped, peering up at the man with scrutiny.

"Who are you?"

It was as if a switch had been flipped.

The man let go.

Naruto fell on his back-side.

And the man's glaring scowl softened.

A tired sigh came from the wrinkled man in flannel. Then, he spoke, softer, not rough with overwhelming superiority that mocked Naruto. It was something close to a fatherly glance, stern, yet soft.

"I am your zampakto spirit, right now, you yield an asauchi. This sword is soft, without a purpose, but when you speak my name, you will gain power from me." His gaze raised, into the cloudless sky, as if to divine something from there.

The old man looked back down.

"My name is-"

A silence beheaded what left he was to say, bleeped out and dry were the words, at least to Naruto.

"What?"

"I said, my name is-"Once more, it happened, and Naruto scowled just the same as the man.

"Oh, so it seems, you are not ready. Maybe, some other time."

The man began to fade, from feet to head, just like the desert, leaving a black void behind. Naruto panicked, even as the man said that they would be in contact with one another. Just as the miasma of darkness was to consume the whole of the place-the old man included, Naruto shouted out-

"What should I call you till then!"

The old man peered at Naruto, glancing up and down the boy, picking apart what the boy was, until he finally, with a gleam of a smile, looked Naruto right in the eyes, and said this:

"Walter."

 **A/N Ya Boi!**

 **Hey guys, sorry if this is rushed, but I needed to settle some things concerning the build up. The next chapter _should_ start the wave mission near the end, and at that same point, Naruto will learn his swords shikai. Sorry for those who wanted to add a girl by guessing the zampokto spirit but, here he is!**

 **Walter White from Breaking Bad.**

 **I chose him because it was different, and unexpected. I made you guess and theorize, and even though no one got it, you at least got closer to the story, because you wanted to know. Getting you guys _into_ the story and wanting to do stuff like that is any writers main goal-of which there are quite a few.**

 **Anyway...**

 **I will have a different shikai than what you would think. It won't be a gun-or meth-because its Walter, but instead, it will be something else. It will come from a certain video game, known for swords and horror, where you die a lot, but you only get the game in play station. I will leave more hints next chapter, so until then...**

 **Have a great day!**

 **:^)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys and-probably some-gals! I hope you enjoyed last chapter, oh, and I do apologize for this ones lateness. But, I swear to you, I will make sure that the content on this fanfiction is great!**

 **Oh, and I have a poll for you guys...**

 **It involves...**

 **Lemons!**

 **If anyone wants one near the end of this fanfiction, please select YeeYee! If not, select Nope! If your using a phone to read this, go to the bottom, hit desktop/tablet mode and you'll find your way there:^)**

 **I bet the majority will be YeeYee!**

 **So, with that done, lets get on to the bell test, and remember, If I owned any of this, I wouldn't be here, typing it, I'd be rich and wouldn't have to worry about stuff much more.**

 **:^)**

Remember the Name

Naruto woke from the strange world, blinking his bleary eyes from the clouds of sleep.

Then he felt a poke.

Several pokes.

Someone was poking him insistently.

...Why?

"Stop doing that!"

A girly scream filled the air with a horrendous wail, forcing all but the screamer to cringe in pain.

"Ow..." Kakashi deadpanned, clearing his ear with a pinky.

Sasuke and Naruto second that, both nodding with the jonin.

Eventually things got back on track, and Kakashi began explaining what was going to happen. First, they had a set time to get two bells, and the one who doesn't, gets sent back to the academy. Sakura and Naruto both hated the thought, whilst Sasuke seemed unaffected, more or less determined to get the test done and over with. Kakashi set the timer and told them the go ahead, to come at him with everything they had, with the intent to kill.

All of them leapt back into the trees instead, completely hidden.

"Well, at least they have stealth down..."

A cough brought his attention backwards.

"Except you, you seem content on being so, revealed."

"Well I ain't the normal shinobi!" Naruto Uzimaki bellowed, bringing his sword down, to point its deadly tip at the masked man. "I'm gonna be the next Hokage, dattebayo! And if you don't believe in me," here he pulled his blade back across his side, "your about outta luck!"

And he swung.

"That wasn't very nice, Naruto."

An ominous voice arose from behind him, and Naruto saw him make the tiger seal, two fingers tightly held and poised behind him. He thrust his fingers forward, ready to poke Naruto severely hard right in the spot most men preferred others stay clear away from.

Naruto swung his sword back, cutting deep into the earth, blocking the fingers with the flat of his blade.

Kakashi drew back, surprised by the move, but stilled himself, knowing the boy was just as surprised that he was attacked in such a way. With Naruto pulling his blade from the earth, Kakashi adopted his cool headed demeanor once more and reached in his back pouch. Thinking he was going to bring out a kunai or shuriken, Naruto brought his sword up to block, only falter when instead, the man brought out a pervy book.

"Shinobi rule of fighting number one: taijutsu."

Naruto's mouth hung agape, so much so that a fly could come in and out, and he would never know.

"Are you making fun of me!?" Naruto shouted the next second, anger brilling up his spine, muscles taught and rearing up like a spring. Then he moved, so fast, the air rushing past him was too much! Too fast! Too fast!

Naruto skidded to a stop, turned around, and found that Kakashi was no where in sight. In fact, he was lost himself.

What was that just now? Was that flash-step? Had he just performed flash-step? But he had done it too well now, and he couldn't see the others or the clearing. Then, he decided that maybe, maybe this could be an advantage to him, maybe their sensei was just as surprised as he was. But Naruto wasn't surprised now, now he had an advantage. All he had to do, was take some time and practice this new ability, just take a bit of what time he had, so that he could beat that un-nervingly calm man into the dust.

Back in the clearing, Kakashi was surprised, and so too was Sakura and Sasuke, all three _very_ surprised.

"First its a sword, then its a mysterious woman, now he does this? It wasn't quite a shunshin, that's teleporting, but this is something else entirely. It was a high speed move, that's for sure, but of what..." The Hatake pondered aloud, putting his book away.

His senses screamed at him a moment later, and he leapt back as a hail of kunai plunged into the dirt right were he had been. Kakashi whirled around and smacked away a pale fist before it could collide with the back of his head. Next he ducked beneath a swirling kick, and brought out his own foot, knocking his assailant over.

Sasuke whirled back up, unphased, launching fists at the man. Kakashi blocked some, brushed others to the side, and caught one. Holding tightly, he rolled back, slamming the boy into the ground with a harsh thud.

Kakashi brought out a kunai and threw it at the boy, only for the Uchiha to poof into a log.

"Hm, my students appear smarter than they really are..."

Soon after that, Kakashi walked away into the timber, deciding that if they were to even come close to getting the bells, they'd have to come after him.

A few more minutes in, and Naruto had gotten used to the flash step-not to say he had completely mastered it-but that he was comfortable when he did it, and now could go where he wished. With this move in hand, and his sword in the other, he began searching for the Hatake.

He found the man, setting up a trap, one so that if stepped on, it would wrap around the leg and string them up in the tree. Naruto noted that and grinned. Out of the brush he leapt, sword behind him, trailing in his wake. Kakashi was put off guard by this, even as that sword was swung, its passing cutting the air and making it scream a whistle of pain. The man barely had time to bring out his kunai. And that was it, he blocked as best he could, but Naruto had the leverage, and he could do nothing as he was shoved down into the ground.

"Gotchya bitch!"

Kakashi regained his senses after that and slugged Naruto across the face. The boy stumbled back with a bloody nose, spat out some blood-along with a nasty curse-and flung himself at the jonin once more, and Kakashi did the same.

As they fought, the Hatake felt that something was wrong. How could the supposed dead-last come out of no-where and start fighting him with the same tenacity as a low level chunin-at the least! How did he perform that technique as well, it wasn't one he had seen before. Maybe if he used his sharingan he'd be able to find out. A point was proven to him, one that he should have always kept in mind.

Never stop focusing on the enemy.

He ducked, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. A whoosh of air hurtled over head, and yet, as he whirled with the kunai out, he hit nothing but air.

This went on for some time, Kakashi so dedicated to keeping the boy at bay-with minor ease-and Naruto flash-stepping around him. Then, as Kakashi was about to take out his sharingan, the boy was gone. Just like that, poof, gone. He stood up straight, looking around for the whiskered blond. He couldn't find him. But, as he put his kunai back in the pouch, he felt it. Or, its better to say, what he didn't feel.

"I got the bells!" Naruto shouted out back in the clearing, looking around for his team-mates.

Black and pink flew out of the tree-line the next moment.

"What?" Sakura screeched, mouth agape.

"How did you..." Sasuke asked next.

Naruto became a blur one moment, the next he was back, smiling gently.

"Something I picked up." Naruto told, grinning now.

A moment of silence passed between them.

"So...where are the bells?"

His grin increased.

"Meh, I can go through the academy again." he told with animosity, striding away.

As he walked away, they felt inside their pockets, a realization dawning on them.

"No." Sakura admonished.

"He did..." Sasuke spoke, just as surprised.

He had left them the bells, and therefore, allowing them to pass, but not him. So shocked were they, that they could not move.

Until Kakashi leapt from the trees like a banshee.

"YOU!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, landing and kidding to a stop in front of them.

"Pass..." He said next.

Kakashi explained to them all that this was not a test to see if they could get the bells, but to work as a team, that those who do not follow the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends are lower than trash.

After that, the week went on, with them doing D rank mission's, and Naruto doing Rangiku's training. He told her all that he had accomplished, with the bells and the flash-step. She was proud of him and spoke well of him, praising how well he was coming along. But she also reminded him, that there was still a lot for him to do, like learning his shikai-and bankai. He understood what she meant, and so the week went. He slept in the bed with her still, but nothing happened, well, she still cuddled, and would hug him into her breasts, which by the end of the week, he didn't mind it at _all._

But it was at the end of the week that she had to leave, and he was sad to see her go, but she assured him that she would try and get another one off soon. After bidding her farewell, he sat in his room that evening, finding that the apartment felt empty, hollow if you will. Maybe it wasn't the apartment, maybe it was him.

He missed Rangiku already.

The next day, when he and his team went to get another mission, he flat out refused to do yet another mundane D rank. They tried to explain to him that going on higher mission's were for higher ranked nin, that going out half cocked was a bad idea.

"I don't care!"

Naruto yelled at them.

"We got the bells from Kakashi, we passed, and we've been doing dumb mission's for far too long!"

He couldn't tell if the old man was mad, or just considering his words then.

"I guess it can't be helped, Tazuna, come in." Apparently it was the later as Sarutobi called out for someone.

Out came an old man, wearing an old straw hat and glasses. He was wrinkled, much the same as Sarutobi, and had a bottle of sake in his hand.

"The short one looks stupid." Was his rough words.

Naruto looked around, and saw that he was the shortest, therefore-

"I'll kill 'em!"

Kakashi held the boy by his collar, holding in a chuckle as he swung his blade about with ease, anything to reach the man.

"Naruto, we can't go around and kill the clients, just hold that anger in until we see a bandit or two."

The boy stopped struggling but gave a sour face.

 **A/N I would like to apologize for the lateness, and the crappy writing. Recently, I've been having trouble getting back into the groove of it. I won't give you guys excuses, this writing here sucked, badly, hopefully next chapter I can do better.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'M BACK BABY!**

 **Hey Hey guys and gals!-if ye be here-how have you guys been? Good? Bad? Either way, I hope this chapter will bring a smile 'cross yer face. Oh, and the polls, are in.**

 **You perverted bastards!**

 **I love you.**

 **Yes, there will be a lemon but it will be at the end. With all the girls that shall be.**

 **Also, some of you think that I am streaming far too close to the Naruto story line and am making Naruto too Naruto-like. Well, ye of little faith, do you not know, I will bring forth a wave of awesome crap dreamed only with crack. Why do you think I said something about hell chasing Naruto? Or a 'world after his power' in the summary?**

 **This beast of a tale be but a wee tot, you lot expect too much of an infant, but it shall be like a behemoth, rising from its slumber, out to capture your imagination.**

 **Alright, enough of my jabber, I own nothing, not a thing, so enjoy:^)**

It Awakens

Naruto and the others were currently making their way across the wide waters that would lead to the land of waves. Where one might think that they would be ecstatic to be on their mission, nearing its completion, that person would be very misled. In fact, the trio of genin were on edge, having been attacked earlier by two missing nin. Both had a sharp chain gauntlet between them, wrapping that weapon 'round Kakashi, tearing him to a shredded pulp of a mess, staining the ground crimson.

Of course, they failed to account for him being a jounin-a rightly good one at that!-as he easily used a log in place of him and overcame the two. After a rough interrogation, and a message sent back to the village to retrieve the two, they were back on their way.

But that's not was set them all on edge.

Someone of some manner or other had hired the demon brothers of the mist to attack and kill Tazuna, not mere bandits or thugs as this mission was rated. Now, it was a B-rank, possibly an A-rank mission, which according to Kakashi, they were not ready for.

Naruto begged to differ.

He argued that just because some punk nin were trying to kill Tazuna doesn't mean some great lord or emperor was going to come down on them, it wasn't as if entire armies were chasing the man. Plus, Naruto had added after, he and the others had dealt with the nin well just as Kakashi decided to jump right back in and finish it, tying the men up.

Reluctant, but eventually, the Hatake gave into the boys persistence.

Even with all those words, it did not settle this feeling of dread that began to broil up in them, ready to spill at the drop of a pin. Even _Naruto_ thought that something loomed before them, the closer they came towards the shore the more it increased. And, if he didn't have his sword, his zampakto, if he didn't have the strength of Walter White by his side, he'd e too frightened to fight such enemies without falling flat on his butt.

Shortly there after, they arrived in wave country.

It was a forested land at first, large despite what Kakashi had told them, and with the fact it was called _wave_ country. Naruto had assumed that it would have been more or less, well, water. Then again, it was surrounded by the stuff, so there was that, but maybe the farther they got in, the more water they would see.

They got off the boat and headed in, hoping to get back to Tazuna's village before anymore attacks were wrought unto them-though it was likely someone of a higher ranking was going to be waiting for them for another ambush.

As they walked, Naruto heard a rustle in the brush and-without thinking, threw a kunai at the sound.

The rustle stopped.

"Why'd you do that for?" Sakura asked.

Naruto realized that the rest were staring at him expectantly.

"I thought I heard another-"

The rustle was heard once more, and he instantly threw another kunai in its direction, eyes gleaming with a serious stare that Kakashi only recognized.

"There."

His lips moved on their own accord, and so too were his feet as he stepped closer towards the silence of were the rustle was once before. His hand struck out, grasping something beneath the shrub, and he yanked it out.

"Naruto!" Sakura screeched, "you just killed a bunny!"

The boy continued to stare at the dead hare with something bordering interest, sensing something was off about the white rabbit. Despite the glare in Sakura's condescending eyes, and the disbelief in the rests, he continued to look the hare over.

Kakashi watched Naruto with concernment in his gaze, wondering when _those_ eyes began to show. The eyes of someone who's been hardened by battle, the eyes of someone, who now unafflicted by death, could track and feel out a situation as the boy was now. He wore the same gaze as someone who had seen too much.

But that was when things went down.

Just as Naruto's eyes lit up with realization, he heard the high pitched whistle of a sword being swung in the air at a high speed.

"Everyone! Duck!" He shouted out without thought, dropping the hare and leaping and tackling Sakura down while Kakashi tackled Sasuke and Tazuna to the ground. The blade flew past just as they smacked against the dirt, a moment later they heard a loud _THUMP_ as the blade sunk its edge into a tree.

When they got back up, a man stood there atop the handle of the massive blade, facing away from them, dressed in regular sandles with stripped baggy pants, a headband strapped at an odd angle across his spiked black hair.

"So," his chilly voice, filled with malevolent intent began, "the copy cat Kakashi Hatake, guiding a bridge builder across the land, and-oh," his voice hit a chord of intrigue then, as he continued his monologue, "it seems you've taken on a bunch of brats for me to kill, how nice of you."

With fear in her voice, Sakura asked Kakashi why the man had called him that, and who the man himself was, stuttering the whole way.

"That man," Kakashi told, voice turning hard, "is Zabuza Momoichi, a former ninja of the hidden mist, he is of a jonin level, but, he is also known as the Devil of the Mist. He will kill you before you know whats happening."

Shock ran through them, electrifying and dulling them all at once, the words of terror striking them with its harsh whips.

But Naruto, Naruto stared on in the face of that hidden devil, something siring in his gut. He didn't rightly know what it was either. But, his brows were furrowed, and his eyes hard, it being of such a way that Zabuza actually _felt_ it. The devil knew that stare, that feeling, he knew it in his core.

"Killing intent? From one of your students? Well well, you truly do live up to my expectations Kakashi, you've trained them well." Zabuza turned towards where he felt the killing intent, actually having a congratulatory sentence just at the tip of his tongue, when he noticed the sword.

He turned fully.

Eyes glued, wide as dinner plates.

Then, they became gleeful and murderous.

"Someone else with an excessively large blade!? How wonderful!"

The grin behind his face wraps was felt through, even as he leapt out, giant head cleaver in hand, coming down as a wrath filled with blood-lust, Naruto drew his zanpakto back.

 _SHING!_

The Devil of the Mist met a kunai instead of another large sword, and Kakashi was the one who blocked him, half of his headband lifted to reveal the sharingan, three tomes spinning a furious whirl of black and scarlet.

"So you've finally revealed your sharingan eh?" The man shouted as they traded swings and blows.

Kakashi dipped below, evading the swing of that giant blade, then thrusting his kunai forth, gutting Zabuza. The man had a look of surprise on his face then, as if he didn't expect to be so easily defeated. Kakashi thought that that was it, just as crimson spurted out and painted the ground.

Water.

What was red suddenly exploded-along with the rest of the devil-into a splash of water.

"...shit-" The Hatake barely got out before another kunai was lodged into his throat.

First came red.

Satisfaction from Zabuza.

Then another explosion of water.

" _What!?"_ Zabuza gave a curse just as well, and yet as he did so, another kunai was thrust to his own throat.

Red.

Explosion of water.

Another curse.

Far off into a lake, there he stood, breath hitched with hot anger.

"You damn _bastard!_ "

Kakashi wasted no time and sprinted towards the man, kunai drawn.

Zabuza blocked and, with the others momentum still at hand, threw him across to the other side. The Devil of the Mist quickly sheathed his blade and threw up hand signs, hands speeding through the seals until finally landing on the last one.

"Water Dragon Blast no Justsu!"

Eyes all around widened at what happened next, no more so than Zabuza's.

Another dragon of water arose from the lake, meeting that of the missing nin's, nullifying each other in great gouts of water, showering back down on the two.

Shaking himself from what occurred, he threw another speedy bit of signs, ready to summon mist and enshroud the man and keep that eye of his from copying anymore of his moves, when he saw that Kakashi was doing the same signs, at the same time-perfectly in-sink.

"Stop copying me!"

Zabuza's eyes widened.

"Quite saying what I say!"

No...no no! That eye could read both his signs and his voice!

"You bastard!" He shouted, Kakashi bellowing the same thing.

At that moment, a thought occurred in his mind, and despite the battle between them, an ornery side awakened in the man, his mouth had already began speaking for him.

"I'm gay!" He shouted, intending to have Kakashi say the same. Instead, his voice fell silent, alone, even the bird stopped there singing, turning there heads towards the man.

Silence.

No words.

Nothing.

Until.

"That's nice." Was Kakashi's reply.

…

…

…

"I am going to kill you slowly." Zabuza's voice turned icy cold as he drew his sword.

"Try me."

Kakashi and Zabuza came at one another once more, the fray between them growing ever larger, kunai blocking the head cleaver, spitting sparks between them. Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna gazed on at the epic battle with wide trepidation and admiration in there eyes, so thoroughly impressed and terrified by the feats all the same.

But Naruto didn't

Naruto could not see these things.

Naruto couldn't hear.

Naruto couldn't speak.

No.

Something in him, seeing Zabuza fight with that sword, it sparked something in him, something that Walter was speeding up. Scarlet Reishi began pouring out of him, a flame of blood, encircling his form, slowly gathering all around him. And, unbidden, he raised his sword, causing the aura of crimson to radiate and pulsate.

Both Kakashi and Zabuza stopped mid-attack, eyes wide, pressure and fear coming over them both.

Zabuza turned.

"Oh shi-"

And a miasma of crimson came down on him, all coming from the single swing.

 **A/N Oooo, whats this? Naruto has swung something similar to a getsuga tenshou? Ba! It isn't that, but the technique _is_ about the same. And whats this, with him going all badass? How did he just get a drop on _Zabuza?_**

 **All will be revealed later.**

 **As for those who see this fiction and read athour notes, please understand, I apologize for the long gap in absence, recently I've had to focus with some school related things, trying to get things together and all, but fear not, I am going to try and send off more chapters.**

 **Anyway, polls are closed, and the winner is lemons, but only near the end.**

 **Have a good day:^)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Was'up!**

 **I'm glad you guys are sticking around, even for this. It makes me glad to know that people are interested in reading my writing.**

 **Anyway, this chapter gets exciting! Naruto gets to show some of his power off! But worry not, there will be some drama here and there.**

 **Now, lets get this thing under way!**

 **Rangiku's P.o.v is first!**

 **I own nothing!**

The Heat of Battle

Rangiku Matsumoto awoke with widened eyes, startled with fright, as her slender hands frantically feeling around, as if she were missing something, or someone, from her bed. Her heart raced as all she felt were her sheets and her bed. She began to shake, teeth gnashing and grinding together, threatening to chip if she didn't stop, if she didn't find what was missing.

Then, the feeling passed, and her fright was quelled. Yet still, she sat, eyes glazed over with an empty glare. What was that...

"Matsumoto. Are you well?"

Her eyes shifted lazily up to her captain. His white spiky hair and cool gaze the first thing she saw. Next, her gaze fell and saw that he was garbed in his captain robes, as if all ready for a mission. Strange, they just finished one last week, why were they having another one? Her lazy mind did not like the thought of yet another one.

"Toshiro? What time is it?" Her voice returned to her a moment later, a slight grumble to her tone.

He merely raised an eye-brow.

"Its nearly noon, why haven't you gotten up yet?" Was his slightly irate reply.

"Oh, five more minutes." She yawned out, laying herself back down.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, and a tic mark appearing over his forehead, the short captain barked at her.

"This is not a time to sleep, you have a mission to do!"

She opened a single lid to him, lazily saying-

"Why can't you do it?"

That triggered the captain.

"There is a captain meeting issued!" He bellowed with hot anger flying with his words. "I can't go to the shinobi world to investigate the leakage of Reishi! Someone has tried to get through the gates of the Seiretei and the head captain fears they will try again! It was only by Ichimaru that they stopped and fled!" He screamed out, his fury pouring like a gushing waterfall, coming down on the lieutenant without mercy.

She flinched and sat up straighter in the beginning of his rant, but soon her eyes widened to dinner plates when he mentioned that she'd be going to the shinobi world.

Rangiku flung herself out of bed faster than you could say bankai, going straight towards her closet and stripping, flinging her clothes back and right in Hitsugya's face-blocking his view-and proceeded to get her shinigami clothes on.

When the captain finally peeled the cloth from his face, ready to tear into his lieutenant for not listening, she had already booked it towards the Senkaimon. Even after that, he still stood there, brows nit by confusion. Eventually, the short captain gave out a long, dragged out breath.

"...what is wrong with that woman?" Toshiro heard himself say.

In the shinobi world, a battle was taking place, one that Zabuza Momoichi was having a hard time fighting. How could it be, this boy, have this strange jutsu? It was very troublesome dodging the great red energy thing that came down on him, especially after fighting Kakashi, the exhaustion from before leaving him winded. The man himself was not the boys target-being his sensei and all-and took to resting by the sidelines. The thing itself that the boy was flinging at him was something unlike Chakra, yet still apart of it, somehow. Whatever _it_ was, he sure as hell wasn't gonna let it hit him! He'd seen what it did to the poor trees behind him!

But at the same time, he was getting very tired of dodging them, so...

"Stop doing that!" He shouted, leaping over another wave of crimson energy.

He was getting annoyed, having a constant barrage of those things really put a strain on him.

"Why don't you stop being a wimp and actually fight me! Sword to sword!" He bellowed, hoping the boy would take the bait.

The miasma of scarlet stopped.

Zabuza gazed across the large pond, seeing Naruto there, his sword held aloft, both of his hands gripping with white knuckled strength in his hands. He pointed that sword towards Zabuza for a brief moment, eyes hardening. Then, suddenly, he disappeared.

The Devil of the Mist felt his senses scream.

 _Left!_

He turned, bringing his word around, flinging it at his side to block Naruto's from taking _his_ head off.

With a mighty push, he got some distance, Zabuza baring and gritting his teeth as he did so, and he sprinted across to bare his sword back around, meeting the slightly smaller one with sparks flying. Again and again, they came together, slashing and hacking at one another, trying to gain dominance over one another. They flung themselves into the fight, large sweeping arks forcing the water beneath them to shudder and separate with each passing blade.

Zabuza leapt above the boy, and when he landed, swung back around, hitting nothing but air.

Naruto was above him, bringing his sword down in sorta tucked in front flip, but Zabuza saw it coming, yet just barely did he leap back, gaining a gap of breathing space between them. Zabuza stopped atop the water, huffing and puffing, his Chakra running low. His weary gaze lifted to the boys'-unquestioning to the fact that the young lad stood instead atop the air-for right now, he was seeing something in those sapphire eyes he didn't know such a young lad could have.

"I-I see it now." His voice was rough, driven to harsh breath from exhaustion. "I see it, that flame burning in your eyes. Y-you...its not that you want to kill me." A bout of coughing overtook him, uncontrollable as he tried to remain standing. "N-no, that's not at the forefront of those eyes. You want to _fight_ , you want to be the _winner_ ," more strenuous coughing nearly floored him then. It went on for a few more huffs, then he gained control of his breathing once more.

"You, you're tired of losing to the world, heheh...I-I guess I can understand that." He finally got out, eyes half lidded, a smile beneath his cloth-wrapped face. Then, he fell, barely sinking in the shallow end, a collapse of limbs and it was done.

But that fire still burned in Naruto's gaze, as Walter urged him to end it completely, to make sure the man was down. Naruto had no idea what was happening, being in the daze he was in. As he lifted his arm up, gathering Reishi around him and his asauchi, ready to release it on the fallen man.

He swung down, that crimson energy lashing out in one, large, sweeping arc of scarlet, racing to cleave the Devil of the Mist in twine. It rushed over the land and over the pond, uncaring for any and everything, crashing through waves and water unabated. Then, it reached Zabuza's fallen frame.

"Haineko!"

A gust of grey particles came rushing in to block the blood red Reishi, just in time too, any later, and it would have been too late to save him. The grey particles ground against the energy, both trying to gain the upper hand. But soon, in a flash of light, the Reishi exploded harmlessly against the grey wall. When the energy dispersed fully, that grey cloud came swarming back towards its owner, forming back into a sword with a cat head for the guard.

Rangiku flash stepped before Naruto, zampakto sheathed, clasping him by the shoulders with great worry.

"Naruto, whats wrong!" She screamed, concern for her week old student, seeing the glazed over look he had on. She was distraught, having come here, to see her student, see if he were okay after hearing about the leakage of Reishi, yet finding him in the middle of a fight. Matsumoto had suspected as much, but hadn't realized the depth of the situation. She had no idea what the man had done, but with the look in Naruto's eyes, she was sure something was amiss.

He continued to stare on, absent minded.

With regret burning in her gaze, Rangiku brought her hand back.

 _SMACK!_

She struck him across the face, hoping that it'd snap him out of it.

His gaze turned towards her, eyes half lidded.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Her voice was pleading

His eyes fell completely shut, steel garters having fallen over his eyes, not to be opened with any ease, and he fell forward, right in-between Rangiku's valley. She gasped, brows raised, but she caught him none the less, holding his head there as his zampakto fell from his grip, sticking into the muck of the pond.

She turned him over, cradling him with worry. "What happened here..." She asked herself. She merely had just come from the gate not to far from here, just expecting him to be training, or at least lightly fighting, but as it turns out, something else happened entirely. Rangiku found herself crouching in the air, still holding him with care.

"That's what I'd like to know." Came the voice of Kakashi as his shadow came over hers.

She bolted up, turned, and readied herself to unsheathe Haineko and cut down whoever was behind her. Rangiku found that the person standing behind her was not unlike a scarecrow made man, skinny yet tall, hovering over her and Naruto, as if to pluck him away from her slender grip.

"Who are you?" Her voice was hard.

He looked down on her with a lazy eye, as if reading her face, but in the end of the long silence between them, he just held up a hand, so as to say that they had no qualms. In the buxamed brauds opinion, it was half-assed.

"My name is Kakashi, he is my student. Now my question, who are _you_ exactly." He nearly demanded of her, yet still he kept his cool tone.

"I am the one who gave him his sword, his zampakto, and it appears he is close to achieving shikai. So if you would kindly _leave_ me be before I cut you down-whoa there!" She was half-way through her rant when the scarecrow man fell forward. This time, she twirled away, making him fall face-first into the water instead of where Naruto had.

But that was none of he business.

"What is going on?" Rangiku asked herself when suddenly two other kids-that looked to be about Naruto's age-came rushing into the water. She heeded them no mind and gave them space as they gathered their sensei. Sasuke grabbed one arm and Sakura the other, pulling his head from the depths.

The man still did draw breath.

Rangiku asked, "who are you two?"

With a long breath, Sasuke told her to bring Naruto along, that they were going to someone's house to get those two patched up. She looked into the boys' onyx eyes, glaring deeply, seeking out any lies that could be held there. Rangiku so desperately wanted to take Naruto to soul society, wanted him to come with her, even though she only knew him for a little over a week. There was something in him she found familiar. Perhaps it was his determination, or maybe it was his cute face she adored. But she also knew that she'd be in great trouble if she took him back, if the head-captain found out what she did. So, in the end, within the Uchiha's eyes...

All she could see was someone trying to help a comrade.

With an all around nod, they came walking towards the shore-her carrying Naruto's sword, where they had left Tazuna.

"Who are you?" He asked, trying-in vain-to keep his gaze with hers-what with him being a slight drunk.

"My name is Rangiku Matsumoto." She told, then asking, "who are you guys?"

"I'm Sakura." The pinkette told

"Sasuke." Told the cool headed boy

"Bridge builder Tazuna." They all answered.

They got to walking after that, Naruto carried by Rangiku, Kakashi carried by the to genin, and the asauchi carried by Tazuna-with great strain.

Silence lay between them for a while, none finding anything to say to one another.

Rangiku didn't much mind the gap of words, it left her time to think. For starters, what was it that had gotten Naruto so worked up that he was beginning to get close to shikai? Was the fight he was having with the man from earlier the cause of this? Or, maybe, his zampakto spirit wished to speed the process along. Perhaps it was seeing another blade that spurred the spirit on to battle...

"Hey, Rangiku-san."

Said woman jumped a slight, the pinkettes words piercing her deep thoughts. The endowed woman turned towards the younger lass and asked what of it she wanted.

"Well," She began, a backwards glance at the woman, "how is it that you know Naruto?" She asked, plain curious.

The Matsumoto perched her lips together in thought, then, as her mind seemed to click, she said thus-

"I am the one who gave him his sword." Rangiku told, seeing as they were too far to hear what she said to their teacher, getting wide eyes and slight hangs of the mouth from the two young shinobi.

"This giant thing!" Tazuna wailed from her side, interrupting their shock, barely holding up the large instrument of death. "I can hardly carry this damn thing! Let alone swing it!" He bellowed next.

The orange haired woman smiled gently, trying to make sure the man would continue to hold the the blade as they went towards the mans house. He gave a fuming glare, but otherwise kept his mouth shut, resigning to his fate as they came closer to his house.

While they walked away from the fallen Zabuza-and as someone in a white mask gathered his body up-Naruto found himself in his mindscape once more. He stood there, before Walter, a slight glare to his gaze. In the barren lands, Walter stood a distance from Naruto as well, his own, stoic, stare coming back at the young lad. Both remained this way for some time...

"Why are you staring at me, that look is one of anger, and I've done nothing wrong, I merely gave you my strength." Walter's rough voice came out, breaking that encompassing silence.

"That wasn't what I wanted." Naruto seethed, clenching his teeth.

He hated what happened, to be overcome by a force he had no control over, incapable of moving ones own muscle with his will-yet someone else urging them without him bidding them to. His mind itself was clouded by sweet smoke, telling him to do as it told.

But Walter begged to differ. He thought what he did was just fine. He thought he was doing by the boy rightly. He thought what he wanted, his desire to do that he wanted, was what was right. Walter made that known.

"What I did was for you boy." His voice was harder, as he took a step towards Naruto.

"What I did was solidify the things that we share." Another step, tone rising with fury backing.

"What I did Naruto! What I did for you was to make sure you _won!_ " His full rancor came down on the boy then, a great bellow of rage set on the lad, unmerciful with its weight.

Naruto did not flinch away from the tall man, his determined glare still staring and blaring into Walter's eyes. His lips curled back, hot anger fueling him now as well, prodding _him_ on, as he bared his teeth to his zampakto spirit.

"That doesn't matter!" He exploded out with a graveled chorus of fury. "I want you to help, but that doesn't mean I want to be some kind of blind! raging! _monster!_ " Naruto flung his words with venom dripping between. With fist clenched, and fury raging in him, he swung.

 _Whack!_

For the first time, in what seemed like a _very_ long time, Walter was surprised. It was a nice punch, he concluded. It stung him, it had some actual _force_ behind it. The punch actually _bit_ him, a small cut appearing over his cheek were the boy had knocked him one. Oh, but for his words, the things the boy spat in his face, for those things...

"I am **triggered**!"

 _ **WHAM!**_

Walter delivered his own white knuckled punch, a devastating blow that threw Naruto-an almost literal ragdoll-with enough force that sent him rocketing across the planes of the desert. When enough of the blow began to fade, he struck his head against the hard ground first, which began to torque his body 'round. Tumbling end over end in a kart-wheel of painful rolls, he finally, in teeth clenching pain, came to a full stop, when his back crashed into a large boulder.

Walter was already there, squatting next to the lad, the boys body beaten up with eyes half-lidded.

"Now you listen here, I will continue to help you, despite what you just said, but have no doubt in your mind, and keep the words I speak now engraved into your thick _skull_ , that the next time you try to fight me, make sure you can put me down, and _keep_ me down. Because if you don't..." here he trailed, leaning down to the boys face, spitting out-

" _I will kill you._ "

He leaned back and away, standing up so that Naruto could only see his boots and legs. Then, Naruto heard him say-

"Now wake up and get out of my world."

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys how have you been?**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, because I had fun writing it. Also, I have an announcement concerning the harem. So far we have:**

 **Rangiku**

 **Soi-Fon**

 **And that's it.**

 **I have an idea of who else I want but I'm not sure of them entirely, depending on how much I can put into this. If you want to suggest any, or have any questions, don't be afraid to put them out there and private message me. It may take a while for me to answer back-day or so-but I will answer to my best capabilities. Don't forget this guys, you- _yes you_ -are the life blood of fiction, your views- _OVER 13000 PEOPLE!_ -make what I write possible, and enjoyable, so your feedback and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated-in fact, it makes Risen in general better for you.**

 **Alright, I've blabbed enough, I wish you guys a great day! :^)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey hey! Man, those numbers just keep climbing huh? By now its increased to yet another thousand views-over that even so-making it 15,000! That's some number! And it keeps _climbing!_**

 **I tell you folks!**

 **Anyway, my joy concerning views to the side, some of you have requested that the following girls-including Rangiku and Soi-Fon-are to be added to the harem.**

 **Nel**

 **Harribel**

 **Anko**

 **Fem-Haku**

 **Fem-Kurama**

 **Yoruichi**

 **Rukia**

 **Samui**

 **Hinata**

 **Kurostuchi**

 **Shizuoka**

 **Fu**

 **These were what has been requested, and I can accommodate, but I will set up a poll. Also concerning the harem, I was thinking of adding a female Kurama to it, but, its up to popular vote.**

 **Getting away from those nitty gritties, I would like to tell you that this will be of a longer chapter, and thus I would like to continue to make them, more content but the time it will take to make them and edit them will also be longer-not like the break I had a few chapter ago-and so it may take more than a week. But, muse willing, may my fingers fly like lightning as I type them, and may they-my fingers-recognize great writing from crap writing-which I shall avoid like the plague. :^)**

 **Alright, lets get things going with the next chapter!**

 **I own nothing!**

 **Naruto gets a bit of a show in this chapter!**

Chapter 8

The Start of Something Beautiful

Naruto's sapphire orbs slid lazily open, recognizing a warmth and softness, perhaps a comforter or flush blanket was wrapped 'round him? It were angel's wings tucking each light filled feather firm yet comfortably against his tan skin and tender flesh, caring greatly for each little digit or ligament, for-suring not but his comfort. _Was it though?_ He thought, through bleary eyes, each filled with the clouds of the beginnings of awakefulness.

Then the fog of his dazed eyes cleared.

His first cognitive thought was that of a simple pondering. First, why was there a mound of supple flesh the immediate thing he saw when he awoke? The next, simple it was, is why his arms were wrapped in a firm grip around some slender frame? Then, the very last thought he had, was why in the world was a beautiful woman sharing a cot with him?

Was this heaven?

All this information seemed to lag for some time, not quite reaching the forefront of his mind, until that moment. His reaction, despite what he normally would have done, was not to freak out. Instead, he recognized these voluptuous features in mere moments, realizing that it was not any other woman wrapping their slender arms around him. No, this was someone he knew, someone he found that he longed to see.

"I missed you, Rangiku-chan..." He whispered more to himself than to her.

Naruto didn't care if she heard what he said then, instead, he sunk deeper into her valley, eyes closing once more. Sleep did not come, not one bit, there was not one sinew in his body that ever felt any exhaustion right then, right there. He simply just did not give a-

"-Shit."

He cursed, eyes opening once more, brows furrowing to fine points as he realized something. He had been fighting just a bit ago, and he remembered defeating the man Zabuza. He remembered that Walter had nearly killed- _through him_ -the Devil of the mist. The man, as he recollected, lay in the pond, only due to Chakra exhaustion. So if he was to say, like any other nin, to have a team mate in the incident that he had fallen into a sticky situation, get him out of it. That meant that-

"Oh, sugar honey ice tea. He's still walking."

He closed his eyes tight, breathed in a deep breath, and let another long, drawn out, curse. He opened his blue gaze once more, and noted that Rangiku was still sleeping soundly, despite his foul mouth. Making the sign behind her back, and channeling his Chakra, Naruto made a clone standing right behind him. With another few subtle sign, he used kimiwari, switching him and his clone without even disturbing the orange locks flowing down her angelic face.

He leaned down and told the clone to keep it quiet, and to make sure she didn't wake up until he came back.

"Can do boss." The clone remarked with a slight grin, making sure his voice was low so that he would not awaken the lass.

Nodding in approval to his clone, Naruto snuck himself into the next room-grabbing his zampakto on the way. He found himself in a kitchen, finding Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi-who was quite bandaged up, all of who were sitting down and chatting with Tazuna. There was a young lady he did not know of there too, dark hair and a pleasant way about her she did have.

She saw him first and greeted him kindly, a smile of gentleness warming her face. Her name was Tsunami, he soon learned, the bridge builder's daughter. The woman had him sit, and he did, as she gave him a small bowl of ramen. His eyes lit up to bright and shining sapphire orbs brilling with thanks, as he dug into the small meal.

"My my, such a hungry lad." Tsunami commented, a damn near grin on her face, happy that someone-a complete stranger no less-would so eagerly eat- _devour_ -her food, even if it was not much food.

"I'sh _good_." He told, an adamant grin on his whiskered visage, happy to eat such good ramen.

This pleased her well, it seemed.

After he consumed his ramen, Kakashi asked, "so Naruto, how do you know Rangiku?"

It was almost cheeky, his voice was, but his tone was pinched, as if he had no time for lies.

Naruto sat back, giving the man a slight once-over, but knew that there was no point in lying. "Do you remember that scroll Mizuki had me steal?" He began, telling them of all that occurred from then till now, even going over Walter and why he had gone into such a haze. But, even explaining his story to his best capabilities, they still had questions. Sasuke for one asked how he had flouted on the air, or when Kakashi asked about how he was able to move at such speeds.

"Well, I'm not sure of that one, but, you know that Reishi and Reiyuko that I talked about?" Naruto asked, getting a nod from the last-?-Uchiha. "See, I gather that beneath my feet, suspending me there, but I _was_ being controlled so, I probably won't have enough control to do it now, Rangiku-san taught me what she could." Was his response, a shit-eating grin on his face. But Sasuke seemed to understand.

He turned to his sensei next, his grin disappearing.

"Its a high speed move that Rangiku taught me, it was the very thing that I used to get those bells from you. It is done by using as little as steps possibly when moving, and practice. The only reason I was able to beat you then was for that last reason. But," here his grin came back, "if you brought out that sharingan you'd probably see it coming a mile away."

Naruto was about to stand and stretch when Sakura asked him something.

"But, how did you do that thing with your sword? That big slash and energy, how did you do that?" Her expression was that of plain curiosity.

He on the other hand lost his grin once more. "I really don't know..."

Naruto looked anywhere but her, having not a clue how to answer her. Instead of pressing it, she asked him another question.

"Why do you and that girl sleep together in the same bed?"

His eyes flew right back to hers fast- _as_ _if_ _they_ _were_ _greased_ _lightning!_ -and saw the blush on her bright face. Naruto imagined he was too, counting the heat arising on his cheeks, and stuttered a slur of words, eyes blinking and darting like flies.

"I-I w-we just, I mean," the blond found himself coughing in his own nervousness, turning to Kakashi for some distraction.

"Hey Kakashi!" His voice was high and strained, cracking. "so what are we gonna do know that Tazuna's back?" Naruto's tone leveled some, yet still it held a slight strain.

"Hm...well, I have reason to believe Zabuza is still alive and is healing as we speak, so for right now, our mission of protecting Tazuna is yet to be over. I planned on having you and the others work on tree exorcises, gain some control over your Chakra so that we may be ready when he does attack."

Naruto nodded, coming to the same conclusion, when Rangiku came sprinting in the room, Shinigami clothes held loosely together while his clone was tucked under her arm. The clone was very flushed in the position his head was in.

"Hey! No one is teaching him anything! That's my job!" She thrust a thumb to her chest-making it jiggle-and proceeded to stomp towards Kakashi. He stood, a painful gimp in his leg slowing him, and glared right back at her with his single eye.

"That is none of your business." He told, trying to keep his cool.

"Oh-ya! Naruto, who's a better teacher?!"

Both turned to him, and he jerked back from the stares they gave him. But, after taking in the question, he answered.

"You both are lazy."

Rangiku turned back to Kakashi and gave him a nasty glare, then let go of the clone-who dispersed quickly-and grabbed the real Naruto-who still had a grip on his sword. She began to drag him away, right out the door, yelling behind her-

"I'll prove he'll be a better shinigami than he ever would be a shinobi!"

With her passing declaration, Rangiku left, and all were able to do nothing about it.

Outside, back into the deep of the woods, Rangiku set Naruto down, standing woodenly with a breath and sigh, a feeling of relief washing over her. Her gaze transfixed onto Naruto there-after, a look of contemplation playing at the edges of those sky blue eyes of hers. For a long time, her lips did not part to speak to him, instead it was silence that filled the air between his ears.

"Are you...okay." She asked at last, eyes almost pleading.

Naruto still stood there, in silence, a word unspoken, one that came not to his lips nor his tongue for a long while. When he did speak, his voice quaked, unsure of himself, but it was enough for her.

"...ya..."

Her face broke out into a smile, gentle and kind-almost like Tsunami's. Rangiku's arms wrapped 'round his shorter frame, enveloping him in her embrace. He smiled too, hugging her back. When they eventually backed away, Naruto felt himself grinning. Rangiku noticed it and asked why.

"You said you'd make me a better soul reaper than a shinobi."

A grin infested her face then as well.

"I said that?" He punched her in the arm, a hardy laugh coming from him. She laughed to, her chuckle sweet and endearing, a chime of whimsy joy, both shaking their heads. When their laughter died down, and they could take a moment of silence, Naruto asked her why his zampakto was trying to get him to learn shikai, why he was so adamant about what he wanted. Rangiku blinked a bit, once, twice, thrice, then gave a heavy sigh.

"Since you're going to achieve shikai soon, your zampakto, he wants to speed it up, so that he can do what he wants." She gave a lengthy sigh, asking, "so, did he tell you what that was?"

With a blink, Naruto said, "He said his wants are the same as mine, basically, so..."

"What do you want Naruto?" Rangiku asked, throwing the boy off as she stepped closer to him, her sky blue eyes piercing right into his sapphire ones. He tried to speak, but with her body so close to his, so quickly in the way she crowded him, the whiskered blond found his tongue almost literally tied.

It didn't help that her breasts were almost against his face either.

"I-I d-don't want-"

"Louder, you have to be clear." She told, pressing into him even more, her eyes never wavering from that heated and concentrated glare. He almost lost it then, but he bit back that stutter and let out a whooping-

"I am tired of losing!"

Silence veiled them both, the birds stopped there chirping and singing, the trees themselves bare no wind in their leaves. All was still, all was silent, none spoke, none moved. There was only that glare, the gleam that persisted in the color of her eyes, never faltering, always piercing deeper into his.

Rangiku leaned back, giving a sigh not unlike disappointment. His heart was pounding up until that moment, feeling as though it would burst from its confines from her closeness. But, after she gave that sigh, that sounded so much like she _was_ disappointment, it nearly stopped. He had no time to wonder on such thoughts though, for she drew her zampakto, holding it at the ready, white-knuckled and baring such a serious expression that it nearly frightened him.

"Naruto," her voice, sharing semblance with her stare, was heated. "Draw your blade, I will not go easy on you. If we leave your zampakto spirit in such a feral state, you may end up destroying things you will not want to destroy."

"But...Rangiku-"

"Draw it now!" She exploded, lunging madly at him, Haineko closing in a large sweeping arc.

 _SHING!_

He had just barely blocked such a devastating blow, forcing his guard up with her reverberating strength. She may have been a well endowed woman-which you would think they would slow her down, she may sound like she was an air head, and she may be lazy, but those things mattered not when it came down to a fight- _no_ -this was not just a fight to her. This was no simple brawl you could just watch and enjoy from some hidden sideline.

This was a battle.

Naruto found that out very quickly as he continued to blocked each ferocious strike, sparks showered them, the air whistled with each swing she made to strike him down. It was all he could do to block, _and even dodge_ , that sword of hers.

Rangiku spun, one-handing her blade as she swung out.

He evaded it.

She was wide open.

And he took the small advantage.

Naruto came back, coming down on her with as much power her could muster. The blow sang a sharp tune of bells throughout the forest, scattering birds with its tone.

She blocked him, one hand against her blade to keep enough leverage, but she could not lift his sword away, leaving them in a dead-lock. Naruto had the leverage, giving her a run for her money in strength. Reishi began to build around his feet, a slow swirl of scarlet rising above his head as his zampakto pressed harder into her defense.

"Rangiku!" He bellowed at her, clearly pissed. "I don't want to fight you!"

Her face was scrunched up, anger brilling up into her face as she tried to concentrate on blocking his blade. But even through grit teeth, she retorted back.

"If you don't fight me, you will go berserk!" The orange haired lass barked, to which Naruto faltered in his build up of strength.

Big mistake.

Rangiku pushed that giant sword to the side, and with the close proximity, tackled him. zampakto's went flying as they tumbled down a steep knoll of grass and hill, both grappling one another in an attempt to gain a hold against the other.

Naruto's back slammed into the ground at last, with Rangiku on top of him, holding his arms down. Now, if he were a normal human, his ribs would have been broken-if not shattered-from such a fall. But, he was no ordinary human.

With her atop him, Naruto could see that she no longer held her serious gaze, or at least, she was trying to, but failed, as a slight smirk played at the corners of her lips.

"Now what." Her voice was cocky.

Naruto smirked.

Her knees were on his thighs, and so he spread his legs, making her lose her balance when her legs did the same. She fell forward, hands unclasping from his wrists, trying to gain stature again by forcing her hands into the ground. With his arms free, he hugged her back and lifted his leg up, kicking the ground with his heel and sending them into another tumble.

Now _Naruto_ was on top, holding _her_ wrists down.

He stared into her eyes with the biggest grin Rangiku had ever seen, and ever so slowly, inched his face close to hers, never losing that big smile of his. Right in front of her, his lips moved to speak in the very same tone she, just moments before- _albeit in the opposite position-_ just had spoken.

" _Now what?"_

It took a moment for those words to sink in, but boy, when they did...

"Pffff...hm hm hm hm hm," it started between the two like some sort of symbiotic disease, slowly rising from the back of their throats. "Heh heh heh heh heh heh," now it raised in volume, a low chortle between the two even as Naruto continued to hold her down. "Heh heh heh ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! Hahahahahaha!" Laughter burst from them both as they lost their hold to any semblance of seriousness, too enwrapped in their own silliness. Naruto-along with his 'teacher,' could not stop the laughter, nor did they wish to, they were so jovial and happy then, so it would take them such a time to calm from it.

Eventually, after their laughter devolved from its boisterous bouts to slower and slower chortles, they came to a stop. Now, there was nothing that could keep them from staring at one another. So close, faces but a hairs breath away. Rangiku herself could not help but feel a heat work its way to flush across her cheeks, what with Naruto laying atop her they way he was, his hands holding hers down...

So forceful!

Naruto wasn't so thick in the head to realize the gaze that she had was not but of want, of a need. Naruto saw the glazed look veiling her sky blue eyes, the soft lift of her brows, and the slight gape her mouth had-however slight it was. He couldn't help himself either, and she saw it too. One moment, he was staring down on her with that same look she had, the next moment...

He was kissing her, and-unbidden-she felt her own lips part, inviting him without restraint.

Naruto felt her open her mouth, and he met with the same willingness, the heat on their faces felt between them both. He bit the bottom of her lip a slight, a nibble that forced a moan from her. Wanton lust covered their faces when they broke apart, his and her breath coming up in short, uneven, breaths.

"I-I missed you, a lot."

She sat up from beneath him, staring him straight in the eyes.

"I see that." Rangiku gave a short laugh, stopped, then bobbed her head a slow bit, then added, "but, I guess I can't say that I didn't enjoy the kiss...It was..." She trailed off, turning her head from his for a moment longer. Rangiku brought it back soon after, a smile plastered on her face. "You're the first guy that was comfortable enough with me being so close to them. Usually they get scared off because of..." her voice trailed again, her eyes coming down to her chest.

"They're intimidated." He raised a brow to that.

She nodded.

"And the ones that aren't, are creeps." Her voice was actually-decidedly-pleasant then.

Naruto grinned, leaning close to her again.

"Then what am I?" He asked.

"Cute." Was her short reply.

"I am not cute!" He yelled, offended that he was called such. He was thinking along the lines of valiant, brave, hell, he'd take handsome!

But, cute?

She leaned into him, inches from his face. Her face nearly the same as it was since before the kiss, if more teasing than lustful.

"I like cute." She told.

His eyes widened to silver saucers then.

Naruto could be cute!

Naruto liked cute!

But, to late, she backed away, that playful smirk on her lips, Naruto pouted, she laughed, and he gave a slight chuckle.

After they walked back up the steep hill, retrieving their zampakto, Rangiku told Naruto that she had to leave and go back to soul society. He was saddened by this, but she assured him that sometime she would take him there, so that they could hang out for a little bit, talk and maybe go on a date sometime. His head never nodded so fast in his life, so easily agreeing to the woman he began to think more than just a teacher.

Rangiku left by the time it was night fall.

After wishing her well, Naruto came back to Tazuna's house, a smile on his face. He looked and saw that Kakashi sat in one corner, trying not to move to much so that his body would heal, and a smiling Sakura at the table, eating something with Tsunami on the opposite side, smiling along. Tazuna was in a chair, drinking sake.

Sasuke was laid out on the floor, obviously having exerted himself way too much.

"Yo." Naruto greeted.

Tsunami smiled and waved, Tazuna nodded, Kakashi gave a piece sign, while Sakura just gave a 'hey.'

Sasuke tried, in vain, to give a thumbs up in recognition.

"What happened to him?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi answered, "he thought you were doing some intense training and pushed himself on the tree walking exercises a _bit_ too much. Dat boi Chakra drained."

Naruto lifted a brow at the strange wording but said nothing else, placing his sword in the corner and sitting down next to Tsunami, thanking her for the meal. As he began to dig in, half-way through his meal, Sakura asked him what kind of training he did do, and why Rangiku had already left.

"Hm, oh, she had to go back to...the place she lives. Its kinda hard to describe what she said it was." It wasn't, but he thought there would be more questions if he told her-and anyone in the room listening-that she was from a place where the dead go. She took the answer and smiled, but then asked about the training once more.

"Ya, what is it that you two did?" Kakashi asked, still a little angry that the woman had tried to exert herself as a more capable teacher than he was. But, if his ire showed, Naruto said nothing of it.

In fact...

"I-I me and, um," He choked on his words, a bright blush creeping across his face. They were doubly intrigued by the stutter and flush on his cheeks, and pressed it further.

As this went on, Tsunami moved to her fathers side, asking him what was going on. With one arm on the top of the chairs frame, leaned back, and a single leg crossed, he looked on across the room, sipping his sake.

"Now I don't know what he and that lady were doing but, that ain't none of my business."

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys! Told you Naruto would get a show today, and more so than he thought! Finally, he and her kiss, so it is so. But, with more girls soon coming his way, can Naruto keep up? Will Rangiku and the others be able to stand each other when they come? Or will they beat Naruto up for play'in? Or each other for that matter...**

 **Well, you'll have to wait and see. But I do hope you guys will enjoy this chapter, I know I loved writing it. Though I do apologize, I thought I might have been able to time skip some to the point where The bridge is done and Zabuza and Haku fight them, but, as it were, I think I will save that for next chapter, and hopefully end it then, making it extra long.**

 **Anyway, that aside, polls are up, my loyal and awesome readers. I do hope you vote for your favorite four-and special fifth candidate for Naruto. Please don't forget to Review or Private Message me, it really helps me and keeps me going so that I can bring you the next chapter, bigger badder, and better than the last.**

 **Have a great day!**

 **:^)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ahoy! Hey guys! I'm back again with some good news! The harem won't be like that long list I gave, I was actually hoping to shorten it to at least six or seven, so I am gonna cut it off at whatever it is now when I post this chapter. After that, it is set, no more and no less. I hope the voting is up to your liking folks :^)**

 **Anyhow, I'm glad to present you guys with the ninth chapter, and I do warn you, I will time skip some, but hopefully it won't be too confusing.**

 **Okay, with that out of the way, lets get this going! We get to see, near the end, a final fight, ending the land of waves chapter! Yay!**

 **And feels.**

 **You shall feel the feels.**

 **Datte Bay O!**

 **I own nothing...**

Chapter 9

Know Your Shikai

The day after that kiss was a strange one to Naruto, he felt as though he were walking on air-which he would accidentally do sometimes. He couldn't wait for the woman to return, for him to go and be with her. It was such a pleasant thought to be with a woman so beautiful, so kind as she was, to have the patience to train him and help him reach his goal. He knew that he was a boisterous and loud, not to mention annoying at times, young lad. But yet despite this-and the age he was-she still held him at an almost equal level of interest. He couldn't say he loved her, and he knew she couldn't say such either, but it was a start.

He was so alleviated-even from the current situation of protecting Tazuna-that often time his mind would wonder more often than it usually would. He felt his head go straight to a plan, a date for them to hang out sometime. Naruto got so far into the planning that he began mumbling what he was going to do to set it up. So content and joyful was he, that Naruto felt that nothing could go wrong.

But...

But he was soon reminded of Zabuza's threat when he was on watch duty over Tazuna. He witnessed a man nearly quite the job on the bridge out of pure _fear_ that Zabuza-or Gato's men-would come and crush them all. The man spoke with terror as he said that the man-Gato-would even go as far as killing the innocent villagers after they were done with that!

Naruto sobered up after the fear stricken man's words sunk in, realizing now more than ever that it was not the time to be dwelling over Rangiku, he and her would have a chance-that he knew-but only after this mission was over. If he let his mind slip and drag on what could be, he would screw up on the mission, getting him- _yes, not only him_ -but also his team-mates killed, and what could be would never be.

The whiskered blond swore then and there, that he would protect not just Tazuna and his workers, or the people of wave, he did not only swear to protect his team-mates and Rangiku-if it did come down to it. He swore to protect ever last person he saw as a friend, till the last breath he gave!

After that, Naruto came up to the man who wished to quite, and told him not to worry. The man tried to protest, and Naruto got an idea. He told the man, "can Gato or his men stand on air?" Gathering Reishi beneath his feet, Naruto began to climb atop the very air. "Can he do that?" He asked again. The man-amazed-said no. Naruto spoke again, saying, "are they trained ninja? Or are they thugs? And isn't Zabuza healing? With the potential to only have a single other ninja helping him? Isn't that true, that he can not stand against us? Even if you have doubts?" Naruto's rising words was heard, not by that single man, but by the whole of the workers as he stepped down from his pedestal in the sky. When he stepped down, they crowded him, shouting up encouraging words to him and amongst themselves. Sakura came by and ended Naruto's shift, and he told them before he left that she was capable in defending them.

To Tazuna's great surprise-and overwhelming joy-work production increased double fold after that.

A few days after this, Naruto could be seen training all alone, having already gotten used to the tree climbing exorcise. He did so in the thought that because he had greater control of his Chakra it would help him fight in the case Zabuza returned-or if any threat came to bare its head. Now, if hadn't had his training with Rangiku to control the Reiyuko the first week they met, he was sure that he'd be passed out and on the forest floor by now.

But he wasn't.

In fact...

He was currently just working up a sweat swinging his zampakto, increasing his dexterity with the weapon. The grass below him was swept up in the wake of his blade, curling beneath the weight of the wind his sword carried. Naruto took a step on the air and spun before a tree, lashing his zampakto out as he did so. It was a thick tree, at least four feet at the base, but as sure as the rain comes, his blade passed right through it.

It began to fall.

Right on top of Naruto.

 _All_ of its weight.

The whiskered blond twisted his sword to the earth below, and swung up. A great- _crack!_ -came as he sliced through its trunk, splitting it in two even as it passed harmlessly at his sides.

Even after that feat, Naruto still let out a curse.

" _Damn it all!_ " He shouted to the heavens, sinking his sword into one of the halves of the tree he split. Naruto sat down across from it on the other half, glaring deeply into his zampakto. He gave a huff of contempt and- _I kid you not_ -gave the one finger salute to his sword.

"Why!" Naruto suddenly exploded, scattering what birds were left in the area, pointing accusingly at his zampakto.

" _Why_ can't I use that technique again like I did against Zabuza?!" He bellowed to his sword once more, lowering his hand.

"Walter! Why the dickery?"

"Hello."

Naruto nearly leapt from his skin at the voice, for one part not hearing them come behind him and the second part because they probably just heard him shouting at-probably to them-an in animate object.

Naruto turned on his tree trunk seat.

There stood, in a pink kimono attire, a young lass, dark beautiful eyes framed by locks of brown hair. She was about the same figure as Sakura, petite in all-if a bit more shapely. As he was looking her up in down the boy realized he was staring, especially when she began to squint her eyes at him expectantly, a brow raised to her temple, as if in expectation. He shook himself free from his own pondering and greeted her, deciding to be a bit gentlemanly.

"Uh, sorry to stare." He apologized first, then raising his hand, saying, "my names Naruto Uzimaki."

The young girl looked at his hand with scrutiny, as if he were leveling a venomous snake at her.

"Haku."

She took his hand a shook lightly, smiling a moment later.

When their hands fell, his eyes fell to the basket she carried. The first thought that came to mind was to ask what it was for, but instead settled for why she was out he so deep in the boon-docks.

"Hm, oh, well there's someone in my family who's sick, so I decided to get some fresh herbs to help get them better. So, what are you doing?" She asked, her voice light like a breeze when mentioning the family member.

"Well I-" Naruto stopped himself, realizing that if he were to go into great- _grand_ -detail concerning him trying to force some great slicing energy out of a sword taller than him, well, it would probably scare her away. So, without missing a beat, answered with, "I'm training."

Haku nodded, seeming to find his words not as strange as he thought she would find them.

As she did so, Naruto realized he was being rude by sitting down and not offering to help her find herbs, and yet she was patient enough to talk to a complete stranger. So, he stood off the fallen half of tree and asked if she wanted his help. Yet, as he did so, she flinched. Had his sudden movement frightened her? If so, he asked if she was okay.

"Ah...ya, it's just, I didn't realize you'd be taller than me." Haku told, smiling a bit with nervousness in her tone.

Naruto was going to retort, tell her he was not short, but stopped himself. He straightened up and could actually clearly see right straight across the top of her head, just a few inches taller than her. Strange, he shouldn't be that tall yet. He was about even with Sakura, if only a hair shorter. But by the looks of it, he was about as tall as Sasuke now, if not a slight taller.

How could that be, was it his developing Reiyuko in him? Would he continue to grow taller? Would it even stop? Oh he could see himself, a hundred feet tall raging monster bashing through buildings. Oh no oh no! How was he gonna get into his apartment now?! Hell with the apartment, how was he gonna be a stealthy ninja when he could be seen miles away?! Naruto felt himself begin to breath heavily.

Calm.

Breath.

IIIIIIIIIN!

OUUUT!

Okay. He was _fiiiine._ He was not going to become a giant. His body must be only maturing fast because the Reiyuko was increasing in his body, it only maturing because it was then easier to deal with a lot of Reiyuko. It had to be that. It was the only thing that made sense.

Shortly after, Naruto began picking herbs with Haku, enjoying the break from his training and getting to spend time with someone that wasn't some silent sword- _who was being a very nasty word at the moment!_

During the time he helped the lass, she struck up a conversation with him. They talked between one another in a pleasant manner, both finding little that either could hold against one another. Haku was an agreeable person-Naruto soon found out. But, in one of their bouts of silence, when neither could find something to say to the other in that moment-with naught but the sound of crunching plants as they were picked-she suddenly asked him a peculiar question.

"So why is it you train so hard, Naruto-san?"

"Oh, well, I want to protect those I care for of course!" The Jinjuriki told with a bright smile across his face.

"What drives you to protect them? What would you do to keep them alive?"

Her voice became sharp shards of ice then, digging into his ears.

His smile faded.

Naruto's gaze fell as he thought on her words, deeply. Why did he want to protect them? What reason did he want to? And, even if he could somehow answer that, then to what extent would he go to do that? He made that vow on the bridge, and that he would fight to his last breath, but, he didn't really know why besides the fact that he cared about them...

Haku stood, drawing his attention as she grasped the basket's handle. Her back was turned to him as she made a few strides away from the boy, but then, she stopped. Her head turned a slight, just enough that he could see her lips utter something that'd change him from now and forever.

Those words were this:

"If those you protect are precious to you," her tone was soft, like velvet, "then those precious people, you, you must be willing to fight for them through pain and the blows that come. Naruto-san, you must be willing to give up everything, you must be willing to _die_ for their sake because they are the most important thing in your life..."

Then, Haku was gone before his very eyes, a swirl of wind and leaves was the only indication that she truly was there just moments before.

The next day, in the morning, Naruto sat at the table, eating breakfast, his team-mates gone to the finishing of the bridge. He was left to chat with Tsunami and her son, Inari. The boy was not a very happy one, Naruto soon learned, having heard him cry in the night over his lost father. Gato had slain the man who opposed him and his reign of oppression, thus leaving a young boy to fend for himself.

"It doesn't matter." The boy suddenly spoke, venom at the edge of his lips.

"Inari-"

"No mom!" He shouted, pointing at Naruto as the blond continued to eat. "It's all their fault! Because of them, Gato will kill everyone! It's! All! Their! FAULT!" The boy screamed, nearly leaping up from his sitting position. Inari looked like he was going to strangle Naruto, but both the blond and Tsunami saw the tears that were beginning to well up in the boys eyes.

Naruto stood, his hair shadowing his blue eyes, having not worn his headband. Then, he suddenly leapt forward at the two, grabbing them in his long arms, using shunpo just as a katana swept over-head. The whiskered blond appeared outside, setting the two down with care.

"What the hell!" Inari screamed at Naruto.

Naruto said nothing, he merely stood up straight, eyes showing beneath the shaggy locks of golden hair. When he finally did speak, his voice was rough, callused, yet held a calm to it that shook the boy from his feet.

"Two men just broke into your home trying to kill you, and I save you." He turned as two men indeed leapt out of the house, swords in hand. One was shorter but skinny, a cocky calmness to him. The other was taller by a few heads, very muscular.

"You think that me and my comrades are push-overs Inari? You think all hope is lost? Well I tell you what. If I cannot block them with just my hand, then your right." Naruto told as the two men rushed him, katana's raised against him. "But if they don't even cause a nick, you have to stand up and be strong. How's that?" The whiskered blond set his gaze back on the small child, lifting his hand to the two mercenary thugs.

Inari just looked on in a slight daze, watching as those swords were swung right at that very hand.

"Watch out!" The boy screamed at the very last instant, concern exploding from the surface of his usually uncaring visage.

 _SHING!_

The swords clattered together against the Jinjuriki's palm, his fingers clasping around them to keep the two from pulling away. He turned his head to the men, a glare in his eyes.

"What do you say Inari? Want to change the the outcome this time?"

 _SNAP!_

With a sharp twist of his wrist, Naruto shattered the blades with unconcerned ease, throwing the remains in his hands into the two 'killers.' They fell, the remnants of their katana's protruding from their skull's.

Naruto stepped over them and headed into the house, coming back out with his zampakto in hand. He strode past the bodies and was about to leave Inari and Tsunami when the boy shouted out to him, his voice pleading.

"Wait, what do you want me to do?!"

Naruto's gaze fell back on him, this time, it was not a hard glare, but instead, it was a reassuring one.

"Get everyone, Gato is going to attack the bridge. Inspire them Inari, just as your father had. Tsunami, when this is all over, I want you to make a big bowl of ramen, we are going to celebrate your villages freedom tonight."

With his parting words, Naruto flash-stepped to the bridge.

A few minutes before, team seven-minus Naruto-stood atop the bridge.

Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi had been watching over the workers and Tazuna as they completed the bridge. Sasuke knew, as did the others, that if it were a time to strike them and the bridge down, it was now. His thinking was confirmed when, in the middle of the day, mist began to roll out from the forest on the other completed side of the bridge. The workers were ordered to fall back into the village-even as that fog began to rise and thicken all around them. Once the workers were gone, all three-the healed Kakashi included-drew their kunai, standing at the ready in the middle of the bridge. Then, they heard the slow mythotical sound of-

 _Clap, clap, clap, clap._

They flinched beneath the sound of some slow clapping sound, the sound bouncing from the fog in an echo of distant distraught, a looming madness hidden beneath the folds of mist that shrouded the sea and bridge. The clapping stopped, and the silence that followed was naught but worse than sound itself.

The mist parted a moment later, just enough that they could see a short, stocky man in rounded glasses peer at them with dark humor. He lifted a stubby fingered hand to his buttoned stripped shirt, adjusting it in a gentlemanly manner. He pocketed his hand in his slacks and tapped a cane near his brown shoes. He opened his mouth and greeted them with an arrogant snarl of words.

"Hello! My name is Gato, the proprietor of that there village of wave." The short man lifted his cane, gesturing past them towards the village. "Now I understand that you folk have been trying to disrupt my business here. But, I am a gentleman, as well as a businessman. So, I forgive you, so long as you do me one favor." He held up his cane with one stubby digit to the sky. "You must destroy this bridge and kill the workers, so that they may never make it again."

Sasuke felt disgusted by this man, more so after that. What he was asking was insanity, pure unadulterated folly! But, he was an Uchiha, and so he kept those feeling wrapped beneath him, and instead yelled back.

"Not gonna happen."

Cocking his head to the side, a flash of anger slipping into his face, Gato turned on his heel.

"Fine with me! I'll see ya in hell ya ugly bastards! Have at em boys!"

As he shouted back at the three, and those last cruel words pressed into them, a great shout from what seemed like hundreds of men came thundering out all around them. They watched as Gato was enveloped back into the mist, and as he did so, they had to leap back when a moment later a large axe was thrown right where they stood before.

A great rush of feet made the bridge shudder as men began to pour out from the fog.

Sasuke waited, waited for them to get within range, then, threw out a hail of kunai and shuriken at the hundreds of thugs. With the the added help of Kakashi and Sakura throwing their own, quite a few lines were already knocked down. When their throwing weapons were nearly out, they resorted to taijutsu-knowing regular ninjutsu would destroy the bridge.

Sasuke was about to leap out with his team-mate and Kakashi when something swept him and Sakura up, rocketing them back and far away from their sensei. They landed on the hard bridge, a grit to their teeth as they stood moments later. All around them, to what it looked like, were glass- _no_ -ice mirrors, all in a dome shape.

In every one of them appeared a young woman in a kimono, a mist hunter nin symbol upon the mask she wore. In a calm tone, soft like laden snow, she spoke. "All who enter here shall perish, for this is my domain. Please, die swiftly."

In the weeks to come, Sasuke hated the sight of senbon needles.

Out on the bridge, Kakashi was bashing skulls, glancing back at the dome of ice in concern for his students. He was having an easy time defeating the thugs, them just being common fools trying to be tough and big, the only adversity that thy wielded weapons and that they were numerous. Though, with his students in that dome, and Naruto being no where in sight, it would be tough to finish this, especially if Zabuza was healed-and no doubt controlling the mist.

Kakashi was about to lift his headband and get this over with faster when a hand kept his still.

"Naruto!" His single eye widened upon seeing the boy.

His head bowed a moment later when an unseen force distributed itself, keeping the thugs on their knees when they got to close.

"Hey Kakashi sensei, don't be so hasty. Can't you feel him in there? Zabuza? He's waiting. Keep that thing covered until it gets too hard to fight these thugs, and if I fail, you can finish off Zabuza." Naruto quickly said, bursting off into the air, rushing past the thugs below to the end of the bridge. As the pressure began to dissipate, the scarecrow made man had a single pondering.

 _When did he get taller?_ Kakashi thought as he slugged another thug right between the eyes.

Back in the dome, Sasuke and Sakura were dodging the many senbon thrown at them, trying to stay far away from the deadly needles.

Sasuke _had_ tried to throw a kunai at the mirror's, to shatter them, but soon found that same kunai come rushing back at him.

 _Damn._ He thought, dodging yet another slew of needles.

He rolled around and threw a punch at one of the ice mirrors, only to receive three senbon in the arm.

"Ahr!" Sasuke screamed, his arm falling limp. Sakura yelled if he was going to be okay, her voice cut off as she tried to evade some needles too. "Ya." He told, pulling out the senbon in his arm. He was about to thrown them to the ground when an idea came to his mind.

"Sakura!" He called, jumping over more projectiles. He came to her side and whispered quickly.

"Throw everything at the mirrors, not just one mirror, all of them. Throw smoke bombs and regular ones, as well as kunai and shuriken."

She nodded.

He did too.

Naruto was about to reach the end of the bridge when he heard an explosion, large and booming it was, enough to sway the fog around him. It put a smile on his face.

"I knew they'd be fine."

"Regrettably, you won't be!"

His smile faded as his head snapped down to the ground, the mist dispersing enough that he could see Zabuza, completely healed. The man held his blade on his shoulder, resting it there as he addressed Naruto once more.

"You know, you're a smart one. Putting enough trust in your team so that you could fight me without wasting energy before hand. Isn't that what you were thinking?" His voice then was almost sickeningly pleasant, but then it darkened into one that Naruto expected of the man.

"I say fuck em! They, like all ninja, are tools of _war!_ And my ambition is what drives me as a tool! Do not expect me to go easy on you Naruto, Haku told me everything about how you move in battle!"

Naruto's fears of Haku were confirmed then, as she being a ninja, and coupled with her saying she was helping a sick person, that just sealed it. He felt a little betrayal, having had a pleasant conversation-and a deep one-with the lass. But he slew those thoughts, knowing that he was not going to come close to winning if he was distracted.

The blond Jinjuriki whipped his blade around, gritting his teeth as he gathered Reishi around him, that crimson aura engulfing him entirely. He watched Zabuza bring his sword back and leap into the air, swinging his sword at Naruto. The blond deflected the blow and spun around, digging his own blade into Zabuza's. The force was too much and it brought the man back down to earth. Naruto followed after, rushing down like a comet. They met again, his sword over Zabuza's.

"Who do you think you are!" Zabuza bellowed, pushing Naruto off and Sparta kicking him right in the chest. Naruto tumbled back a few feet but skid to a stop, raising his blade to point right at Zabuza. He came back sprinting, swinging against the Devil of the Mist.

"What do you mean!" Naruto shouted back.

The man blocked it in a shower of sparks, easily slicing his sword up and getting Naruto open for a spin kick. It landed right into the lads ribs, forcing him to stumble.

"Get it through your head boy!"

Zabuza punched Naruto in the back of his head, sending him toppling over his feet to the ground. Naruto tried to stand but screamed in pain as his hand was stomped on by the nin, his foot grinding Naruto's hand into the rough ground.

"AHH!"

"That's right boy, scream! This is pain! This is the reality of the world! We are tools to be used! Or discarded!" The mans foot lifted and slammed into the boys gut, a sickening snap eliciting a cry from the downed boy. But Zabuza didn't stop, he kept going, hitting harder than before, the sharp crunch of bone drowning out the dying voice of the boys screams.

Eventually, Zabuza stopped, a grimace and glare coming down on the boy.

"You are going to die, and I am going to kill your so called sensei and friends. There will be nothing you can do about that. You are just a broken tool, no more...and no less." Zabuza's thick and dark words hung there even after he strolled away-as if nothing had happened. Naruto felt nothing now, the numbness of shock keeping him from feeling the full force of the pain. He still felt it, but he could care less now. He really was going to die. _Look_ , he told himself as the encroaching darkness began to fill his vision.

 _Are you going to sit there and let him win?_

His eyes opened.

 _Didn't you promise yourself that you would protect them, that you would not let them die?_

He heard the voice off to the side, and he could see Walter standing there, a slight glare to his eyes.

 _I know your afraid right now, Naruto. You are on the precipice of death, but..._

His voice changed, it became a determined snarl of words, words that rushed to urge him on.

 _What I came to realize is that fear. That's the worst of it. That's the real enemy. So get up_. Naruto felt his Reishi build once more, even as the man continued to speak. _Get out in this real world and kick that bastard as hard as you can, right in the teeth!_

Zabuza turned, feeling a rain of pressure build all around his body, freezing him to the spot. He turned about as best he could, seeing the most surprising thing that day, the most strange and terrifying one too.

A figure stood be the fallen form of Naruto, a chain connecting the two, a dark and mysterious being with naught but a fear inducing bleakness to it. The thing itself wore a wide-brimmed fedora, just as red as the scarlet trench coat set on his shoulders. Beneath that he wore a black vest and white button shirt. Black pants and boots ended at his legs and feet. The thing before him pulled his white gloved hands from his pockets and grabbed hold of the zampakto.

"Drink and be filled, Hocho o Mimashita, blast my enemies to vapor, Dojina Hito"

A flash emitted from the sword, nearly blinding Zabuza, and a second flash burst from behind the strange beings back-just between his trench coat. What was left of the sword was in place a weapon made only from nightmares. It had a severely curved axe handle leading up to the hinge point of a wide saw cleaver, the teeth of which pointed away from his hand, whilst a sharp edge was retained around to the inside.

Zabuza suspected that it had a trigger, allowing it to swing out and extend its reach.

Despite this, Zabuza growled, even as the thing before him lifted its head, showing him a shaggy lock of blond hair. Covering the boys eyes were tinted goggles.

"Whats wrong, Zabuza, don't recognize me in my shikai form?" The young lad adjusted the goggles, showing his sapphire eyes despite the red tint of the shades. "Don't you remember the vibrance of my weapon?" He lifted the saw cleaver up and slashed away the chain that bound him to his body. "Come now Zabuza, that was the old me, without that chain, I can no longer live inside it. But, you can still destroy my spiritual form. Or are you afraid? That's the worst of it, isn't that true, Zabuza?"

"Shut up you bastard!" Zabuza screamed, having enough of this crap. Who did he care that this boy came back with new looking stuff? It didn't matter! He was still just a weak! Insignificant! Tool!

He rushed Naruto, blade swinging out wildly, his aggression pouring into his movements, a bull going head first into the unknown. Naruto ducked beneath the flash of silver and side stepped the next, after that he brought his blade up, blocking the strike. The force behind it was enough to make Naruto skid back on his feet, but he did not stumble, he only lifted his blade up again.

"Zabuza!" He shouted, even as the Devil of the Mist swung against him.

"We are more than tools! We are people, we have feelings! We aren't just products to be used in war!" Naruto screamed, trying to get the mans attention. Zabuza merely threw several kunai at him, to which the boy used the flat of the cleaver as a shield, the throwing knives pinging off harmlessly.

"Shut it!" Zabuza retorted.

"No Zabuza! You have to listen, I don't want you to die without hearing me!" Naruto shouted back, dodging the blade once more, his own anger stirring. He had to get the man to listen, before he delivered the killing blow to the man. If he didn't, he knew the man would regret it. Rangiku had told him the basics of what happened the dead, and those who did terrible things in life. If the man died without coming to the realization, then hell would become the Devil's home. Then, it came to him.

"Don't you have someone who is precious to you!?"

Zabuza stopped, flinching underneath the weight of the boys words.

"That's...that is none of your business!" The man bellowed, arcing his blade down in a single, large, sweep of strength.

 _SHINK!_

Naruto caught the larger blade between the serrated teeth of his own cleaver. With a snapping twist, he shattered the blade, forcing the man to stumble back in shock. Naruto didn't stop there, no, he lifted his saw cleaver up into the air, pointing heavenward.

"Suta Suraisa!"

And he swung down, scarlet Reishi exploded out point blank into the man, sending him flying back, far across the bridge, high above the dwindling thugs that Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke were slowly destroying.

 _Thud._

He hit the ground, bouncing and sliding some before coming to a halt. He felt nothing coming from his chest to the side of his hip, it was all numb and gone. He could barely see, the sky ever expanding before him. His eyes couldn't focus right, his ears ringing, everything was just, numb.

Naruto was there, a moment later, standing over him, his brows lifted and his lips frowning.

Was the boy sad, that he was dying, was this lad so compassionate that he cared even for his enemies? How, how could it be that he, Zabuza Momoichi, would die by a soft hearted boys hand?

In the end, Zabuza didn't fight the exhaustion like he would have, instead, he asked Naruto one last favor, his tone however weak, still held that ambitious sway.

"P-please...k-kill Gato."

Naruto nodded, leaving him there.

He was about to close his eyes and let it be over with when he heard a moan. His mind instantly knew who it was even as he turned his head to look. There lay Haku, face first into the earth. Something urged him to move to her, even if it would be painful. He turned himself over, using his single working arms to pull himself closer to the ice user. Inch after painful inch, he made his slow way towards the lass, his eyes pleaded for her to still be alive.

He made it, using that arm of his to pull her into him.

Dark eyes opened to see his. Beautiful. She was beautiful, her brown hair cascading down around her, her broken body all for him to hold for the last moments. A dark spot appeared on her scorched clothes, and the Devil of the hidden Mist realized, that he, was crying. He didn't hold those hot tears back, he just let them flow.

"Z-Zabuza-sama..."

Her voice! God! How could he ever not notice it before?! It held him there for a moment, a silence between them. He leaned into the crook of her neck, feeling like his head would burst any second.

"Haku!" He cried! "I...I am so sorry, I put you through this. I should have never-"

Her dainty hand was on his face, on his cheek where the blast had knocked his his bandage wraps off, that soft palm against his rough visage. As best as she could, she leaned into him, giving him a kiss, so brief, yet holding him in it. When she could no longer hold herself there, she fell back from his starstruck face.

"I have always cared for you. I love you, Zabuza...

Her eyes dimmed, graying slowly until they were but slates of stone, and he knew then, that she was gone.

"No. no no no! H-Haku! P-please, stay with me! No! D-don't leave me!" He began to wail out in great sorrow, feeling a weight settle on him as his own life began to slip away.

"HAKU! AAAAHH!" His scream pierced the air as his tears came rushing down her face, streaking his cheeks and falling unto her. His cries of pain were even making the thugs on the bridge stop their fighting, feeling the regret in the mans dying words. They all bowed their heads to the loss of someone precious that day, honoring the dead in that moment.

 **A/N**

 **The feels man, the feels.**

 **Alright, so, pretty much everything is wrapped up. The thugs are gonna be done soon, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, _and_ the villagers-soon-will beat on them, driving whats left away. Naruto has his shikai form-finally!**

 **And if your wondering what the weapon is, its the saw cleaver from Bloodborne. As I was actually writing this, I thought, 'well, bloodborne has a vampire as the protagonist, so who's the most B.A. Vampire? Alucard from hellsing and hellsing ultimate.' Thus, the outfit he is given. It makes sense, at least to me. Plus, I've been streaming too close to cannon, so I decided to crack this thing up, thanks to some attentive reviewers.**

 **Anyway, the wave mission is in the bag, and Gato obviously won't be able to stand against Naruto, especially after achieving shikai. So this is pretty much done.**

 **If you guys have questions, ask and I will try to respond**

 **Have a good day guys:^)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys!**

 **I am so happy you all liked the last chapter, and I do hope you liked his shikai form. But, anyway, the polls are in, and the winners to the harem are! *drum roll***

 **Yoruichi**

 **Halibel**

 **Fem-Kurama**

 **Samui**

 **Nel**

 **Anko!**

 **Yep, these were the choices that made it, those that will be with Rangiku and Soi-fon, I hope to incorporate them to the harem and hopefully bring a smile to your face. I was planning to only have the five there but decided to have Anko 'cause she and Naruto went through similar circumstances, he having a demon in his belly and her being raised by a metaphysical demon.**

 **Also a fem-Kurama, so, yee yee!**

 **Anyway, Gato gets his this chapter, and I get to flex my foreshadowing skills. It might be obvious but, oh well.**

 **Okay, so lets get this thing a-rolling!**

 **I! Own! Nothing!**

The End of Tyranny

Gato was running.

His breath caught in his throat, hitched and shallow, while his little legs tried so desperately to carry him as fast as they could, strained beneath the suit and pants, sweat pouring down his chubby face.

The man had bare witness to the blond lads power, he had seen Zabuza cut down and thrown like some soft rag doll, he saw the boy _die_ and come _back._ His fear was only elicited more when, before the boy went after the fallen Zabuza, spotted him. It was not the act of spotting him that Gato had feared- _now he knew that feeling grow as some great_ _terror_!-but no, it was what he had done when Gato was spotted. So sickening and revolting was the act, the very movement all but leaving him frozen! It was an act that even angels would weep upon!

He grinned, lips parted from ear to ear, a wide grimace of what should have been teeth, yet not to be.

He remembered those pearly whites, flashing beneath the fold of his eyes, inside his mind still haunting and reaping for his very soul! Sharp and poised as if already there to tear him asunder! Sharper than even a razor's own edge, sinking deep, as if he were to devour him whole.

His head turned back, to see if he had been followed. No looming figure of madness presented itself, no far and dark insanity preying on him, scouring for him. His head spun back around, intent to continue his run, to get as far away as possible, to escape the jagged fangs of death.

When he fully did turn, he slammed his feet deep into the earth, scrunching his dress shoes and grinding himself to a stop. His heart pounded, beating like flexing fingers snapping out to grapple, clenching like it was the last thing his heart would do. His eyes nearly fell into blank slates of terror, wide and uncommonly filled with such fear, two wounds filled with nothing but gaping fright. His body trembled, his fingers and hands were the limbs of a tree in the weltering gale of a never ending storm.

The boy grinned beneath his tinted, round, goggles, those prominent canine's, they bore deep into Gato's shaken soul.

It was absolute terror.

It was madness.

Insanity taken form!

He saw the blade rise like a forlorn godly hand!

It swung on its hinge!

And!

And!

 _AND!_

"Suffer in hell, forever."

As the blade swept from its great, powerful, arc of death, slicing through his thick fat neck, Gato had one single thought, the word coming out as an after thought as his life slipped through the cracks of his own earthly form, and it was thus:

 _. . .cold..._

Gato's head rolled away, and a similar translucent figure raised itself from out of no where. It had a chain from its chest to that of the fallen Gato's. Naruto came up to it and swiftly cut its chain, from bare chest to where it had connection. He stood a few paces back, and let what would happen, happen, uncaring for the man even now.

A crack of green lightning began to gnaw at the air, growing in rapid success as its sound reverberated from the sky. All sinister light banged against the reality of the ninja world, demanding, forcing its own entrance into this living world. Sudden in its appearance, so to was its final wave, bursting from the sky in two scarlet gates, hate seeming to ethe from the fabrics of its existence, brilling out in a swath of hot molten air. On this grandourous door was two skeletons of gigantic origins, eye patches on opposite sides.

Their two giant boney hands opened the door.

The heat from before exploded out, seeming to suck in more to satisfy its hunger, insatiable as the ghostly form of Gato peered into the depths of eternal flame. And, just as he had, _they_ shot out like vipers, the accursed mark of those who have committed great atrocities, the chains, of a _sinner_.

These very chains rattled out as they struck themselves into the condemned soul of the tyrant. He began to scream, loud and almost unbarring in its tone, as if he were not man, nevermore would he be, but he was now a beast put to slaughter, crying in the pain as he began his decent. His wails were washed away soon though, those thunderous chains, their rattle all consuming even as they slung him deeper into the licking folds of the furious flame! Forevermore tying him to the sinister world where all who enter must abandon hope!

And then, when he was dragged into the very core of that infernal fire, the shadow of eternal death, no more to be but devastation, the doors of Hell shut with a single thunderous _-CRACK!,_ fading into nothingness, its being becoming no more, yet still looming and ever present, nevermore yet forevermore, to be but not to be.

The young lad, Naruto, left with no heavy heart, only the blood of a wicked man dripping from his saw cleaver.

Once the whiskered blond returned, the villagers had arrived with farming and fishing tools, soon driving out Gato's former men. This eased the folk, and joy-unending joy!-poured out of them, a dam bursting forth all that has been welled up inside for so long. To us, it was like the liberation of France, a great oppression ended by a swift blade cutting the head of the treacherous being who cared not for those he was owner of.

The people of wave went back into town and began planning some great celebration, one that team seven was invited to. When they heard the stories of how it all went down, they elected Naruto as a hero, giving him praise, singing out his name on high, swearing on their very land that they would spread word of his great deed.

He smiled and thanked them for that.

Yet, as they did all this, preparing for the celebration, they left behind team seven on the bridge. Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura all staring at Naruto with disbelief or a questioning glare-the latter spread to the Hatake more than anyone else.

"I-Is that, your body?" Sakura asked, fear inspiring behind her eyes when she saw his new visage.

He only nodded a bit grimly.

Kakashi came up to him and shook his head, hands in his pockets. "You know, if you tried to explain all this perfectly clear, I still wouldn't understand. So, instead, let's just bury your and the others bodies who died." The man's words were stern, as if he wanted no one to speak, so stricken by the entire ordeal. Maybe he just didn't want the headache, but Naruto couldn't tell if it were one way or the other. But, as of now, he had a job to do.

He told the scarecrow like man that he would like to personally bury Zabuza and Haku, Kakashi-caring little-waved him off to do so.

Naruto swept up the pieces of Zabuza's sword in his hand and took out a scroll from the dark of his blood red trench coat, sealing the pieces away. Then, the blond headed to the opposite side of the bridge, going towards where Zabuza an Haku had fallen. When he got there, he saw what he expected, the spectral form of both his former enemy and inspiration. The translucent beings turned to face him, surprised to actually see in the first place, but there remained that quirk of the brow, a small frown perched on their lips.

"Yo." Naruto greeted, feeling a slight smile come onto his own face.

Zabuza was about to speak when he was interrupted by Naruto. "Listen, I know you're confused, but I want to do one more thing for you. That's the least I could do." The whiskered blond told, his voice soothing. "I am going to transport you to a place called soul society. Its like heaven, or at least, its where you'd want to go. And, you can keep fighting, you can become a shini-"

"-Naruto, as long as I can stay with Haku, I don't care where we go. The only thing I want from you is to make sure my sword gets repaired, ya know? Its got a special sealing that when it get blood on it, it can repair itself. That thing got me through a lot, and I don't expect that I will be able to take it with me, so, please, look after my Kubkiribocho, would you kindly?" Zabuza's voice was not rough, or demanding, nor did he plead, it was calm, self-reassured, trusting that the boy would do by him the rightly thing to do.

Naruto smiled a bit bigger, nodding.

"Ya."

After tapping both their heads with the bottom of his saw cleavers pommel, transporting them to soul society together, Naruto raised his sword over and unto his back, the wraps on his pommel extending around the cleaver and 'round his back.

Naruto buried their bodies side by side, fashioning crosses as a makeshift head stone.

Then, he joined the rest of his team, making clones to make the process come along faster.

While this happened, in the Seireitei, Rangiku could be seen sitting in a chair, thinking on what had transpired the past few days. First, she learns that someone actually made it into the Seireitei, caused some havoc. She then heard that they had tried to fight Byakuya to save Rukia from her execution. They were spirited away by Yoruichi, potentially to achieve bankai.

Then, she witnessed some things herself.

Namely, the one that shook the lass to her core, was Ichimaru's betrayal, having fled with Aizen and some others before they could be stopped. It left a bad taste in her mouth. Gin was like her big brother, he inspired her to become a shinigami, he was the sole reason she was even alive.

But now, she sat, thinking, wondering if the decision she was going to make was the best. She wanted to end what others were calling a coming war. She admitted the idea, it was ridiculous, and even if the head captain decided to allow her to go through with it, she knew it would make life hard on Naruto. But, even with the release of Rukia from execution, and her reinstatement, Rangiku was sure that the old man would bellow at her, throwing every rule in the Seireitei at her. But...

"Maybe, maybe he can help us..."

"Who?"

The orange haired lass nearly leapt out of her skin, falling out of the chair she was in. She whipped about, already knowing who it was.

"Toshiro! You frightened me!" She screamed, a nervous smile etched to her cheeks.

He didn't answer, he remained stoic, unsure in what to say to her at first.

"Rangiku," he finally spoke, getting her attention, "you have been sitting here for some time, what is troubling you?" He asked, brows knit a slight, showing he was truly concerned.

The woman stood, feeling as though she were already on trial. He watched her as she bit her lip, a nervous tick. For a while, she said nothing, just standing there, saying nothing.

"I have to...I think that I know a way to help soul society in case Aizen returned, but I need to speak with the head captain." Her voice was serious, but she hesitated, her normally boisterous self slightly deflated.

He only nodded.

A day or two went by until they could finally speak with Yamamoto, but when they did, and she had a chance to explain her plan concerning Naruto, the old man's bellow of incredulous anger nearly shattered the roof.

Back with Naruto, he and the others had celebrated with the villagers of wave, parting with them a day after. As they left, Tazuna named the bridge after Zabuza and Haku, on Naruto's behest. He told the man that they were just mercenaries, having been brought in by Gato and his money, seeking only their own path, not truly a force bent on his or the villagers destruction.

Being old and seeing the world as he has, Tazuna agreed, understanding the young lad's request.

Team seven made their way back to konohagakure, Kakashi remaining silent and aloof, even as he read his icha icha. Sakura found herself skipping back, happy to be headed home. Sasuke actually had the smallest-itty bitty-smile on his face, content with the mission and the results, even though he had a distaste for the unpleasantness that had occurred.

Naruto however was checking out his new outfit.

 _I can't believe it, this thing is cool! My shikai is awesome, Hocho o Mimashita and Dojina Hito! I can't wait to show them to Rangiku! Hehehe!_ Naruto's thoughts were that of pride, so jovial to have his shikai. He could hardly believe his luck, he further couldn't believe that he could achieve bankai one day. How could anything else be as awesome as what he had now? Ludicrous, insane, there was no way.

Hell, the outfit that came with it may as well be apart of his shikai, he felt as though it made him stronger, faster, yet it held a sense of protection for him, as if it would-at the very least-slow down a sword from cutting him down. His eyes were sharper, better, so too were the rest of his senses, in tune with his body and the world around him. Not to mention, the surprise beneath his lips. It scared the living hell into Gato! Such sharp teeth!

He felt himself grin, having dealt the man his punishment.

The day went by as they slowly made their way towards konoha, coming to the gates and entering with pride, having finished their first real mission. Kakashi, before he left, told them to take a few days of leave, take time to relax, and meet him once more in the training ground they took the bell test in. With a piece sign as his parting leave, he shunshined away, of to where-ever it is he goes.

Sasuke was about to head towards his own home in the former Uchiha district when Naruto grabbed him by the shoulder. The dark haired boy turned towards his team-mate, almost having to look up at the red cloaked lad, and raised a questioning brow. Naruto leaned down a slight, whispering into Sasuke's ear.

" _You should really hang out with Sakura for today_. _"_

He leaned back, patting him on the shoulder, a slight smile on his face just before he suddenly flash-stepped away, leaving Sasuke with the pinkette. The avenger's gaze fell back on the lass and he suddenly became nervous. Why was she blushing, why was she trying to avoid eye contact, what, why!

He breathed in, then out.

"Hey, Sakura, wanna go get something to eat?"

Naruto was just at his door to his apartment when he felt a shift in the air, as if the very fabric of reality had shifted in that moment. He only shrugged, figuring it was nothing, only assuming that he did not care. His white gloved hand reached out to the door handle, turning it, pushing the door wide open.

Now, imagine his surprise when...

"Rangiku!" He yelled upon seeing her sitting there on his couch, civilian clothes on and bags upon bags in the corner of the room. Her gaze shifted up to his, a bit surprised herself, not recognizing him at first until he removed his scarlet fedora and tinted goggles. She jumped up and rushed him, slamming into his frame, nearly sending him out the door.

"Naruto!" She screamed, a smile on her face.

The curvy woman found herself looking back up, noticing that he was almost eye to eye. He suddenly hugged her back, lifting her from her spot. With one hand wrapped around her, he shut the door, next he began to spin her, a grin on his face. When Matsumoto became to dizzy, he set her down.

"Why are you here?" He asked, his tone more ecstatic than his words themselves. She took a moment to answer him, but when she did, Naruto hardly believed his own ears.

"I am not a soul reaper anymore"

His mouth hung agape.

"Now don't get me wrong, I did not quite, I am still a shinigami-technically. The thing is that I have been given clearance to teach you and make you stronger." She grinned and held up and arm, as if to show off that she was muscular. Rangiku was not, but she was still very strong.

"But why?" Naruto asked a moment later, knowing that she wouldn't just drop everything like that to teach him.

Her face grew dull, she lowered her arm.

Rangiku told him everything. Explained the events that happened when she returned to the Seireitei a few days before. She went on, telling him of the deal she made with the head captain, that she could teach him and make him strong, so long as he helps in defeating Aizen-or at least protect soul society-when an attack began. The other condition was that-

"-If in a few weeks, you can give one of the captains of the Gotei 13 a challenge, then I may remain here as long as I want. It is so that he can make sure you are truly helpful in the war that will ensue."

It took a moment for her words to sink in, and when they did, he merely asked her one more question.

". . .what happens if I cannot fight the captain?"

Rangiku's face faltered, her brows knit with a slight sorrow. Her lips, her beautiful lips, they did curve down in a fearful frown. Her hands held one another, as if it would comfort her. When she finally did speak, it was a heavy tone, low and almost tearful.

"They will have us both executed."

His eyes widened a slight, brows raised, mouth hung agape. For a moment, he thought about leaving to tell Jiji, but he still stood there, on wooden legs. Rangiku honesty thought he was going to shout at her. She thought he was going to kick her out and tell her never to come back.

But he did not, he did the one thing she did not expect of him.

"Hahahahahaha! Really? Is that all? I'll take that challenge!" He laughed, his voice and face lighting up with a jovial sense. At first, her serious side wanted to smack him and remind him of the depth the consequences held, she really did, but. . .

"My god! It is funny!" She bellowed, laughing along.

It really wasn't, the prospect of death was not a fine idea to her, she however didn't much care. This boy-was he even that?-was growing about as fast as the Kurosaki kid, and he defeated the battle crazed Kenpachi! So, if anyone could stand up to Aizen and his forces, it was this new generation, with their wills, with all that they are, that burning flame that was that will in their chests.

Suddenly, she was scooped up, and on the couch. For a moment, she stopped her laughing, thinking he was going to start something. He quickly threw off his crimson trench coat and vest-something clanking beneath them-thus leaving him in a nice undershirt. Rangiku's thoughts wandered as he kicked his heavy boots off, knocking them to a corner. Heck, even his white gloves came off!

With one hand on the couch he leaned down to her.

"I'll make some lunch."

He then proceeded to vault over the furniture, almost flying into the kitchen with the force.

Rangiku was still on the couch, her breath as warm as her cheeks. Hadn't it been moments ago he did that? It felt like it was a memory already. Her form quivered at the prospect. Did he do that on purpose or, or did he sincerely want to make lunch before they trained?

By the clattering in the kitchen, she was right.

Now, despite common belief or what most would think of Rangiku, she did not just 'jump someones bones' when she felt like it, nor had she done so much if at all-finding the memory of if she had ever done so got lost when you live for so long. Not only that, but she wasn't also the person to get so exited so easily, usually she was the one who did the exciting! Yet...here she sat, cheeks flushed, feeling like she had been worked up.

She was suddenly aware of her name being called.

"Huh...?" Rangiku's voice was numb.

"I said, do you want ramen or dango?" He asked gently once more.

The orange haired lass sat up straighter, preferring the ramen at the moment. He nodded his thanks and the clattering continued. Eventually, she shook herself from the euphoria, clearing her throat some before deciding to get up from the couch. She walked over towards the kitchen and saw him cooking away. A part of her wanted to escalate what he could have done, but decided-based on the growl from her stomach-to instead ask if there were anything she could do.

"Hm, naw, I got this, when you live alone for almost over twelve odd years, you learn to cook or eat out all the time. I don't get too much money to do the latter."

Rangiku shrugged and decided to just take a nap on the couch.

After some time, lunch was done, and she was awakened. They ate quite a bit of ramen, so much so she decided that today they wouldn't train after all. She said that if they even tapped each other near the gut they'd burst. He laughed at that.

Soon after, Naruto lay down on the couch, and she joined him, laying in front of him. the whiskered lad did not object, he merely sunk in deeper as his arms snaked around her. Her dainty hands clutched his as they both began to feel sleep envelope them.

Deep into the depths of the seal on Naruto's belly, behind large and encumbering bars, lay the Kyuubi.

Into the darkness its massive body lie, its magnificent scarlet fur draped around its powerful form, all nine of its tails spread out like tuffs of clouds, yet each strong enough to flatten a mountain. It felt a strange presence, just before the cage, but did not open its eyes.

"So, we finally meet, don't we Kyuubi?" Naruto asked, standing in the ankle deep waters of the seal.

 **Man.** Was the only response, as if it were a casual meeting, despite the deep base of its tone.

He took a moment to speak, deciding on his words.

"Don't you. . .get lonely here?"

The Kyuubi took pause, then said, **No, now go away.**

With a sigh, Naruto sat in the water. The Kyuubi opened its huge eyes, a glare to its gaze. It looked down on the whiskered blond, steam beginning to pour out as its anger increased. Its lips curled back, a snarl in the back of its throat.

 **Why are you still here?** Its deep voice was like rolling thunder, rising out from some distance.

"I am not leaving." Naruto was adamant to remain despite the beast as the nine tails began to rise from the depths of the darkness.

 **Go away! I want nothing to do with you!** The Kyuubi roared, slamming into the pillars of steel that were the seal.

Naruto did not flinch, he remained as he was, seated in the water without fear.

 **I hate humanity! So why would I want its company!? I have lived for so long, and throughout that time humans have done little to change my opinion! Go! Away! NOW!** The Kyuubi bellowed out in rage, slamming again and again into the bars with more force than the last blow before.

But Naruto, he did not move an inch.

The nine tails stopped, breath coming out in great gouts of steam, its own rage heating the normally cool room. It sat, on its haunches, and decided to at least hear the human speak, no use in trying to break what could not be broken. But that didn't mean the Kyuubi would agree with anything the human spoke of.

Clearing his throat, Naruto began to speak.

"I know you aren't happy being in there, I know you would rather crush my skull-and the village-if you got out. But, I also know how it is to be alone. I know what it means for everyone to hate you, and for you to hate them. Kyuubi, I don't know why you went on a rampage, and I don't want to, and I know my words won't change you, but, I forgive you, because I know more than anyone what being alone means." He paused, as if considering his words carefully. "I want to give you a chance to live again, outside me."

The Kyuubi's brows fell, no longer glaring at the young lad, but now having its curiosity peaked by the meaning of his words.

"What would you say, if I can get you a body to live in. It will be human, but you can be free."

The nine tails' gaze softened, thinking on his words for some time.

Being in human form wasn't the worst-it could be a slug.

 **What do you get out of this?**

"Nothing. Just a sympathizer."

 **How do I know you just don't want my power?**

"I have enough already, you can keep your Chakra."

 **...hm...**

The Kyuubi looked into Naruto's face for deceit where it could find none. It tried to reason against this, the thought of agreeing with a human once more, but his face held no lies, and his words all in the giant beasts favor, the Kyuubi found itself coming to a conclusion.

 **Freedom, huh?**

Then, it forced light to flood the inside of its cage, illuminating its grandourous form. Naruto smiled softly, seeing that the Kyuubi was agreeing with-wait wait wait, what is it doing? Why is the Kyuubi shrinking?

"What are you doing?!" Naruto shouted, incredulous.

 **If I am to be in human form on the outside, then I have to get used to it.** The Kyuubi told, as if its continuous shrinking was normal, as if it were an everyday occurrence. When it began to come to that of a human's size, the nine tails was swiftly enveloped in a swath of steam, circling once for that moment, leaving the blond to what it was doing whilst hidden. The clouds of white dissipated moments later, leaving behind something Naruto did not expect.

"You're a girl?"

"Woman." Was the beings pensive response.

Naruto gawked for some time, taking in her looks. Her. Her looks. Her her her her her, not a he but her.

 _Her._

The great monster that could kill mankind with such ease, was now a human woman-though, to be fair, she still held onto her large crimson fox ears, scarlet slitted eyes, and nine tails-even the red hair on her head was human, just a little long. Kyuubi herself wore simple green shorts and black tank top, not stylish but, then again, being a giant fox without clothes probably left you numb to the want of flashy things. This being was human, beautiful in all sense of the word, yet could still kill with the flick of her now slim wrists.

"What?"

"...I did not expect that you would be a girl."

"First of all-woman-second of all-what gender did you expect, male." The last bit held distaste at the prospect of being that.

Naruto found a grin creep its way to his whiskered cheeks.

"More like an 'it'."

There was a pause.

"-I will devour your bones."

Finally, Naruto had to laugh at the Kyuubi! It was far too funny! Having such a powerful being, who could still honestly crush him, was actually a woman with a bit of a bad attitude-which he understood why. But, in the end, he laughed because she could make him, even if she didn't realize it. The Kitsune began shaking her head, sighing in her dominotive aggravation.

"Human's."

"Foxy ladies." He grinned.

"..."

"Just naming it as I see it." Naruto chuckled, a sly grin on his face. Soon after, he stood, cracking his neck, popping and stretching his joints, letting out satisfied grunts when the pops did come. His gaze went to Kyuubi with a warm smile on his face.

"What?" Again, that pensive- _aggravated-_ voice.

"Just, you are aware that if you walk around like that when your out, you're gonna have to beat off men with sticks." He told. Her nose scrunched up in response.

"How long until I _can_ anyway?" Kyuubi asked, still looking as though she wanted to slug him.

Naruto saw that expression, knowing she probably wanted to, but he also knew that he had her by a rope. Or, as they say, he was the one with leverage, so he teased her some. "How about I just leave and not tell you when I will have it done." His grin split his face then as her lips came down to a frown. _"How about you just tell me now."_ Her voice was a bit demanding, if not down right-

"-Salty. All these flavors you could be, and yet, you chose to be _salty_." The whiskered blond's grin came full force then, actually giving her a small fright. He stopped grinning and asked why she flinched, coming closer to the large bars.

"...Even in my human form, I don't have fangs as big as that." Fear was wiped from her voice then, if only sounding unsettled.

Naruto shrugged.

"Comes with the shikai, neat, huh?"

Turning around, he began to fade, ready to awaken from the seal.

"Wait, you're just leaving?"

His head turned, a brow cocked.

"Eh, mm, nevermind, just go." She told, her voice escalating to a growl as her brows knit in slight anger, nose turned away from him

His eyes lifted a slight, but he just turned back around as his body began to disappear from her view. Just before he was completely gone, he threw up a slack piece sign. When all of him was not in sight, Kyuubi let out a sigh of relief, a stark flush on her face. Her crimson slitted orbs glared down at her slender open hand. Fingers tightened to a balled fist, white knuckles against her usually soft skin.

"Naruto-kun, so suddenly, you've grown into a young man."

And finally, a smile broke the ranks and onto her pretty face.

 **A/N**

 **Whoa! What's this, is Kyuubi a Tsudenere? Meh...a bit. With Naruto's sudden growth and mental thinking changed a bit, I think a female Kurama would find itself liking the more confident young whiskered lad. By the way, I think I will keep Kyuubi when referring to the nine tails, it just sounds more womanly than Kurama, Kurama sounds like he is in the anime and manga, an old yet powerful male. But Kyuubi sounds more-should I say gentle?-woman's name, though do not misdiagnose her as a weak being, she is still as strong as the Kurama in the real thing, just a bit of a mental change-and gender-to make the story fit.**

 **Okay, so, did ya like it? Did this bring a smile to your face? I really want to know if I make you guys laugh at certain points, comedy is a peculiar subject and what makes one laugh makes the other cringe or raise a brow. Well, either way, I hope this made you guys smile regardless, and also, I have news.**

 **Good news!**

 **Great news!**

 **Grand news!**

 **Fan F***ing Tastic News!**

 **it's sexy news.**

 **Instead of having one, huge, lemon at the end, I have decided to instead sprinkle it out through all this. Not all the time-because it would eventually get boring-but when it can be done, when it will be perfect timing, when-next chapter-I feel like it!**

 **Heh heh, have a good day guys, R and W**

 **:^)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys! Nice to get this next chapter out, and as you know, there is a lemon here, but its later in the chapter, and, a certain captain arrives, to test Naruto and his skill level. Now, in this chapter, Naruto gets to show off his zampakto's ability, one that I think you all will remember from the Hellsing Ultimate OVA. Hope you guys like it.**

 **Anyway, lets get things rolling, enjoy the chapter! :^)**

 **I own nothing.**

Chapter 11

Lose Yourself

The sun hung high in the sky, stark and bright against the heaven, a few scattered clouds wisping about. Down below the bright shine of day lay a particular land, a high ridge the size of a few football fields, yet still holding vegetation all but a few good yards towards the center, leaving that grassy ground bare of the trees that hung near the edge. All around that ridge were mountainous land mass, engrossed with pines-for the most part-and some oaks, other trees spread near and between and all around. A river split the land, coming from a nearby waterfall that came from one of the huge mountains, gushing forth its own life giving liquid out to the land.

On one such of these ridges were both Naruto, scarlet trench coat and all, and Rangiku in her shinigami clothes, both opposite of one another.

It had been but a day since she returned with the news, and now they, right here, stood with joy, training for when the captain-of who they still did not know of-would come and gauge Naruto's strength. It would be at least a week, at the very least, and so they had limited time. But they made full extent of this time, starting early, taking brakes every few hours, stopping for but a few minutes for rest.

They were back at it now, zampakto either strapped 'round the back, or sheathed at the side. They waited for the other to draw. Waited for either or the other to suddenly grasp the handle of their weapons and try to attack, and when they did, the other would spring out, bursting forth like a rocket to quickly meet the others blade.

They waited.

Waited.

Waited.

Waited waited waited waited waitedwaitedwaitedwaited aaaaand _waited!_

Naruto was patient, peering past his red tinted goggles, beneath his scarlet fedora his gaze did watch. His eyes were locked onto the woman's with rapt attention, just ready for any change in her serious expression. The eyes, they did speak volumes, and her's screamed for the want for action now, she desired to draw her blade against him and do battle. He imagined he had the same look, just as well.

Both really never knew who moved first, only that they had.

With shunpo at their feet, they rushed one another, both drawing their blades, hers swinging out and across, his coming up and down even as the wraps were undone. The teeth of his cleaver crashed into the smooth curve of her blade meeting his jagged toothed one. They soon leapt at one another in wild-barely controlled-swings, going all out, as best as they could, putting all they had into each and every swing.

Even as they fought, Naruto knew she could, at anytime, pull out her shikai's special ability, little bits of particles that might as well be her sword,ready to slash him to redded pieces. But he knew, as she knew, that he could do the same, pull the trigger on his cleaver, and start swinging bursts of Suta Suraisa at her. Now, there was a good reason they held themselves from doing so, and the reason being sound, and agreed between the two, that if they did everytime they fought for simple practice, they would have to find a new ridge to fight on, every, single, time!

So, they settled for good old sword play, or at least, sword to saw cleaver play.

 _Whatever have you!_

They continued their assault on one another, ascending into the very air and onto the sky. Naruto snapped his body back, soon, twisting away from the ash cat, bringing his blade to bare on her. It came onto hers with a heavy toll like from that of a bell, so much force that it sent her away from the Reiatsu under her feet, breaking such a hold against the heaven.

He came flying down after her with the flat tip of his blade, a makeshift spear coming down from heavenward. Rangiku slowed her decent as fast as she could, forcing Reiatsu around her, plunging her blade into the ground as she did meet it. The orange haired lass kicked and spun herself around the handle, a hairs-width from getting impaled by the flat edge.

She heard the subtle _shew_ of a flash step, and Rangiku froze to the spot, not even bothering to pull her blade from the earth. She gave a backwards glance at him, and knew without a doubt that he had her.

"So, close quarters, my saw cleaver extended out, the actual blade end to your throat with it being in a reverse grip. How do you feel about your chances with getting out are?" Naruto's grin, she did not see, but knew it was wide, splitting his face from ear to ear, all teeth. Or, large emasculating fangs as sharp as the blade that was pressed to her jugular.

Yep, her chances of escape were little if viable at all, but he needn't know that.

" _They are fantastic~"_

His eyes widened a hair, her voice dropping to _that_ tone. Her voice then holding his mind for a split second, a split second of thoughts she knew he was thinking, and although she would have loved to tease him about it, she took full advantage of that split second.

All was a blur to Naruto, all in a few moments, in a few _movements_ , and she had subdued him. The swift takedown left him a slight bit dazed, and he knew even as she sat atop him, that he was without his saw cleaver. Though, on a plus, or pluses when you added the view, she too was without zampakto.

"Oh, so they are..." He admitted, conceiting, though not without a smile.

"Pervert." She lightly smacked him, smiling with the words.

This training went on for a few days, they, coming out to this ridge or the ridge next to it, swinging zampakto against one another, fighting to their best extent. Rangiku saw him improve with his dexterity to such an extant that he even began using the wraps on the handle to extend his reach, swinging it about like a long chain mace. Even beyond that, he was beginning to win against her in their battles for the past few days. It greatly perturbed her that he was, but when teased about it, she would blame it on the growing heat.

Which, if he was being fair, was true. The sun was growing hotter for these past few days, hotter than usual, leaving them sweating when each bout was over.

On one particularly hot day, when the sun was seemingly absolute in its tyrant, weltering, heat, the rays almost piercing them, Rangiku found that she had to sit out after the last battle. Despite this-and the heat-Naruto decided to continue training, doing a form of shadow boxing-with a giant saw cleaver!-pretending as though he had unseen enemies attacking him.

He would swing his zampakto all about, wild and tenacious, always moving, never ceasing. He pulled the trigger on Hocho o Mimashita, swinging the blade out. With that, he stuck it in the ground for a brief moment. He brought his hand up, hooking his thumb under his goggles and taking his hat off with it. He threw that under the tree where Rangiku was, followed by his trench coat, vest, and long sleeve button down shirt, all thrown by the woman's side.

Rangiku heard a clanking sound when the trench coat fell, but with the excruciatingly hot sun scorching down, she did not question it. Instead, she settled for watching Naruto as he continued his shadow boxing. His movements were a blur, washed away by his own speed, and her eyes were hopelessly lost to the speed at which he could swing that blade about him. Her mind became a blur, just as his movements were, all but losing herself to his training.

Time went by, and somehow, the sun reached even under the tree tops, but she could not retreat.

 _Too hot..._

Her thoughts waned.

Rangiku looked back up at Naruto, amazed at how long he was able to keep going even with that- _godly!-_ stamina while beneath that infernal sun. But, soon, she noticed his speed decrease, his blurred movements now visible where they were once before not. She could see it on his face, the exhaustion, his eyes in a daze. Yet, still he moved, even when his arms were becoming sluggish. Her eyes moved down from his face, and indeed, his arms were lined with muscle, lean, made to snap out when he swung his zampakto, yet now they were covered in sweat.

He was losing steam.

Lower still, her gaze fell, seeing his once scrawny back now an even and smooth decent from shoulders down. When his face and body turned a slight towards her, she even saw the defining lines on his stomach and chest. Almost unbidden, she let the top of her shinigami clothes fall, almost over her large breasts. She felt her slender hands reach up, loosening her haori, even going as far as letting her slim legs spread out.

Her eyes drifted back up to Naruto, hoping he wouldn't see what she planned to do, but saw him standing there, completely still in the field, not looking at her, but off somewhere in the distance.

The blond Jinjuriki had stopped, his arms too heavy now for them to move, only holding Hocho o Mimashita out straight with a single arm, but then, it began to shake from the exertion. His body rocked, back and forth, beneath the sun, a silent sway. His body seemed to make the choice for him, it seemed, as Naruto dropped the cleaver, arm falling to his side, unable to hold it any more. And, his legs buckled beneath him, he crumpled to the ground, falling flat footed unto his back.

It took Rangiku a moment to understand through her hazy mind what had just happened, it lagged on his form, but, when finally her brain comprehended it, she stood on shaky legs.

"Naruto!" She screamed in her hoarse voice, running up to him as best she could. When she reached his side, the orange haired lass tucked her arms under his neck and back, picking him up. The blond's body was hot, unconscious and no longer able to move in the heat, and she could only do one thing for him. Rangiku had to get him under some cool water.

The Jinjuriki found himself once more in the seal, already laying down against the watered floor. He sat up, knowing Kyuubi would be there to tell him he was a fool for training in such conditions, let alone continuing even when his body could not take it-just as Rangiku might, albeit less snob like. Imagine his surprise when the red haired lass was forcing her head as far as it could through the bars, brows knit in concern, lip quivering in fear.

Fear? What would she have to fear? She could kill without much 'a thought, so why would she look as though she was afraid? Unless. . .no, no no no no, there was no way, a being capable of such hatred for man, could be fearful of his death, she would merely manifest later. But, he saw her face, that beautiful face veiled in concern- _for him!_ -with not but tears rearing themselves against her slitted scarlet gaze.

"N-Naruto," her voice called.

 _Oh._

 _. . .Oooooh,_ his mind finally clicked. _Now_ he knew why she acted so stand-off-ish. She was a damn tsundere, and only now she was showing it? After all the years she could have just _reached_ to pull him into the seal to talk? Okay okay, he just _had to_ ask Rangiku what she put into his ramen this morning...

"A-are you okay?"

Really had to.

"Ya," he answered, regardless of if he was under the influence of, whatever it was, and let his body relax. Rangiku at this moment was probably getting him somewhere to cool him off, knowing she would not just leave him. Despite his honest answer, her lip continued to quiver.

"Hey hey," his voice turned soft, reassuring, "I swear I am being treated right now, it will be okay." He told. Kyuubi's lip ceased its quivering, but she still looked concerned for him. Naruto smiled a bit brighter, standing up without a stumble-knowing she'd be upset if he didn't show he was even strong enough to stand-and walked over across to the bars. When he reached her, her eyes had to come up to meet his.

"I'm fine, I really am."

His hand reached through the bars, patting her mess of red hair with an almost fatherly glance in his eyes. Her gaze fell, brows furrowed as tears began to stream down her face. Naruto leaned in through, past the bars, holding her with both arms. Her arms, almost weak in her distraught, reached around and locked him in place. Naruto smiled gently, letting her cry into his shoulder for some time. When he finally felt her back away a slight, still holding him by the arms, she apologized.

"I am so sorry for everything Naruto, for putting you through pain." Her eyes still watered, but he wiped those tears away from her flushed cheeks.

"Its fine," was his soft reply, "I know you've been so alone, I know you really are sorry." Here, he paused, looked her right in the eyes, and with his reassuring tone, said, "It'll be alright Kyuubi."

A second later, he found her lips on his.

Naruto's round sapphire eyes widened as her slitted scarlet closed, Kyuubi sunk deep into her kiss, and he was forced deeper into it by her two slender-yet unyieldingly strong-arms. He tried to pull away, but she wouldn't let him. The red haired lass almost had to force-as if there was anymore forcing could be done-his mouth open, letting herself in without even asking. It took some trying, but he eventually jerked away, falling flat on his butt.

"I need an adult!" He yelled suddenly without really knowing why.

"Naruto~" Her whisper of want did not help the situation, any- _if at all!_

He gulped down his breath, almost choking on the hot air, and felt himself look at her with a bit of fear. Had she just done that! My god, where did that come from!

Naruto's mind raced for reason, tried to figure and sort out his wound thoughts, but his eyes fled to her face, and saw it turn from wanton lust, back into the almost teary eyed glint of concern. Oh no, she wanted him. She hadn't meant ta hurt 'em. Now he had to look at what _he_ had done, making a girl come to tears once more.

He stood, stepping back up at the bars, almost stepping through them. "Naruto, I-I didn't mean to do that. . ." her voice trembled. He couldn't help himself, he yielded to that desperate tone of worry. Shaking his own head, Naruto told her it was fine, taking his step into the cage.

"R-really?" Kyuubi asked, voice cracking a slight.

"Yes."

He held her again once more, expecting her to do the same, but was surprised when she didn't. When his eyes came back to hers, he found that they no longer watered, her lip did not quiver, her brows were no longer in that knit of concern. Instead, on her cheeks, spread out across her face, was a deep, red, blush, her gaze coming _full_ circle to that of the lustfulness he had seen yet before. He had a single thought, one, cognitive ponder, just before she pounced atop him.

 _Oh shi-_

" _-I am an adult~"_

 **(Lemon coming, you've been warned.)**

Outside of Naruto's hopeless situation-of one he held no control over-Rangiku was at his side. The orange haired lass had made her way to the waterfall, luckily finding a small alcove which resided behind it. She had laid him down in the soft sand and smooth rocks, gathering her haori into a fold as a makeshift pillow for him. She minded not the fact that she had nothing to tie her robes to hide her large breasts, let alone her hakama pants, and merely held them where she sat.

Where they were now was cool, the waterfall leaving the darker cave behind it without a lot of heat, yet light still made it visible enough for her to see clearly.

Rangiku had left the rest of their stuff back up on the ridge-which after he awoke they would look for-leaving them by their skivvies. She didn't mind, not much at all, the only issue is if someone found them in the undress as they were, which, being so far in the deep of the forest, she _highly_ doubted anyone would. With her mind at ease, she relaxed, her gaze shifting over at Naruto.

Surprise wrote itself over her face as a flush of crimson filled her cheeks.

In the mists of his pants, there was a shape. A very suggestive shape, at least in her mind. Rangiku was frozen, her mind halting all thoughts of ease. Was that, what she thought it was? Why was he so hard all of a sudden?

Her body began to heat up again as thought began filtering through.

She tried, in vain, to restrain herself from them, the lustful things that flashed beneath her wondering gaze. Rangiku felt her teeth sink into her lip, she felt her fists clench until her knuckles were white, she even closed her eyes, tried to forget what she was seeing, but they imagery kept coming back to her. The sky blue eyed shinigami really tried to resist what she felt even as the heat spread out to her head, making it hazy, and to her credit, she really did try to resist.

But, in the end, she gave in.

Her eyes opened with a daze in them, brows lifted in their want. Her hands and knees were the only thing she could even hope to use to get over to him quick enough. With all the thoughts reeming through Rangiku's mind, she could barely keep her hands steady. Slender digits gripped the hem of his slacks, her white knuckles pulling them down and off as if they were aflame!

Despite her initial excitement, her gaze quickly lifted to see if he had stirred.

Not even a twitch.

She moved back down and saw what she was after. _Damn_ , she thought to herself. He was large, that was for certain, and it actually made her a bit afraid, but she shuddered when she imagined what it was going to be like.

Steeling herself, Rangiku raised her hand to his 'mast,' digits wrapping themselves around it with slight care. But, when it only became harder by her touch, she lost herself a bit. Rangiku's hand grasped it a slight bit harder, sliding her dainty hand up as far as she could, coming back down, an experimental pump as she sped her slowly gaining speed, eliciting a gasp from the boy. His sound of enjoyment did not detour her, she didn't care if he woke up now, she just wanted to continue, she wanted to hold it in her hand as she kept up her pace, she wanted _him._

With that, her luscious lips found themselves around the end of his member, her hand remaining at the very root of the tree as she slid her tongue against the back of it. Her teeth skid a slight against the skin as she made her way deeper down the very thing she desired from him. Naruto's breath hitched as she almost made her way to where her hand was, lips so close to touching her own knuckles. Rangiku licked the underside as best she could where she was, before receding back up.

The orange haired woman began going at a faster pace now, a wild movement as she tried to get as far down as she could. A minute went by, and his member became far harder then it ever had before, and before she knew it, her lips still deep and over his mast, he let loose hot streams of cum. It filled her mouth almost instantly, quite a bit trickling down her throat. Rangiku held on to him, halting any sense of letting any of that stuff from escaping her. A few moments later, it stopped, and she almost couldn't hold it anymore, but swallowed it regardless, a gulp the only sound in her mind as she did. After Rangiku slid her lips from him-a bit reluctantly-her gaze lifted back up to his.

His gaze.

He was awake now.

 _Oh..._

"I-I need an adult." Naruto found himself whisper, though he doubted she heard him. He looked at her though, despite his comment, and found that she was still holding unto his still erect wood. _Why_ , Naruto pitied himself in the thought. But, even after leaving Kyuubi after what they did, he still felt like he was on fire. Naruto could keep going. Plus, her hand was still there, and he knew what she did by the instant he awoke, it being wet and all. So, with his sense of morals- _thanks a lot Kyuubi!-_ Naruto could only say one thing.

"Oh what the hell!"

And he pounced on her, Rangiku's gasp of surprise nearly made him dance, but he didn't, instead, he pinned her, his calloused hands around her wrist, held about as high as her head, on either side. He leaned into her ear and whispered softly.

" _What will you do now, Rangiku?"_

He smirked as a moan escaped her.

Without much preamble, Naruto went straight towards her large breasts. Now, you would think her nipples would be large, too, ta compensate, but you would be misled. They were about the same size as a small coin, in fact. He paid little mind either way and buried his head into one of them, his tongue rolling out over the erect and succulent piece of flesh.

Rangiku bit her lip, trying to keep herself from moaning, but then his sharp fangs lightly nibbled her softer skin, and she about nearly screamed! Her throat was hoarse, she tried to take in air, but she could only gasp as Naruto jerked his head to her other nipple, doing the same naughty act as he had the first.

When she thought she might lose herself, the whiskered blond pulled back, a grin placated on his face.

Movement, quicker than her eyes could track. So fast that she didn't even know what had happened until a split second later. His rough hands were on her hips, and the head of his wood was at her wet entrance. His eyes shifted to hers, waiting, waiting for her to give the look, that absolute look of wanton lust. The heat was there, the excruciating heat that she was all but ready, yet still he remained, waiting. He cocked his head to the side, and finally she could no longer hold herself back.

"Do it!"

Rangiku found herself scream the words, a scream that only increased louder as Naruto punched himself into her. The words became a garbled mess of cascading moans though as the whiskered blond shoved himself in her, pulling out so briefly, before creating his own swift rock as her hips swayed into him.

Rangiku's mind went back to that haze again, unable to keep herself from it as her Naruto kept his speeding pace, slamming her hips as he delved into her. Her breath was wild, shaking with every thrust, and a sharp moan would escape every so often when he'd hit her insides just right.

When was the last time she completely forgot the world, forgot all its looming dangers, kept solace and peace with herself? Not even sake could bring those thoughts away-she tried multiple times-but he was able to. Naruto. Her Naruto was the only one able to bring her away from such melancholy things...

A few minutes went by, and Rangiku felt his member become harder then ever before.

Unbidden, her legs dug themselves around his back, and the last thrust he gave was a single, swooping slam, holding himself just as much as she wanted, completely inside her. That hot stream shot out into her lower belly, and she felt herself come from it too. It took a while for him to stop this time, so much of it pouring into Rangiku that she almost thought that she would burst.

But finally, it ended, and he could only just hold himself up a few more moments, just before he fell over at her side. Both were exhausted, no more than Rangiku. She smiled weakly, pulling him as best she could into her huge bust. His arms wrapped around her as her hands held unto his head, fingers raking through his thick sun-kissed hair.

Soon, both succumbed to slumber beneath the roaring waterfall.

 **(Lemon, end.)**

A few more days passed since that day, and even then Naruto felt like he could skip down the konoha streets. Maybe he had, given the strange looks people had given him. Meh, he didn't care though, his only goal to get home from the team meeting's and see his little orange lass. Rangiku would greet him with a bright smile, and he would smile just the same, picking her up and spinning her 'round. Ah, the most beautiful giggle would escape her lips, a school girl like one ta boot!.

Sometimes, at night, he would watch her sleep, just before he did, so content in seeing his little angel dream.

But now he was sitting down in the training ground, with his team-mates, Kakashi standing there before them, explaining that in a few day, there would be a chunin exam, allowing them to move up on the kinds of mission's they could do, and get better pay in compensation. He gave a-lazy-speech of how dangerous it was, the actual paper exam and the one where they would go into the forest of death. The scarecrow man was about finished when Naruto spoke up.

"How long will the exam be? When it starts?"

"Mm, depending on how long you guys take on the second half, a few days." Kakashi answered, raising a brow to the blond.

Naruto adjusted his fedora over his eyes and smirked, hand keeping Kakashi from seeing the fangs. With a nod, Naruto stood, quickly making himself smile to hide his frightening visage. His hand fell away, and he could only say one thing to what the man said. "Good."

All around confused about the strange behavior of the young man, Kakashi shrugged, and dismissed the team for the day. Sasuke tried to leave, but found Sakura around his arm. His onyx gaze fell to her emerald ones.

"What?" His voice was decidedly indifferent.

"I think she wants you to take her home." Naruto told as his cocky tone passed by with him.

Sighing, Sasuke felt regret. It was like when ya fed a stray cat, after that, they always came back. And, he had to admit, she was annoying, loud, and unagreeable at times- _lots of times-_ especially when he tried to train! Always watching and keeping him from focusing on what he wanted to do! She aggravated him to no end!

Sasuke took a breath in and let his eyes fall back onto the pinkette. He let a breath of deflated pride come out. If he had to be fair about it, she wasn't that bad, the mission to wave steeling her a bit when it came to fights. Plus, she was not as grating as he thought before. Maybe he was just stressed...or something, he didn't know. Though, if he had to admit anything-which was rare-he would say she was cute, kinda like a large eyed, pink haired, cat that was always climbing on your shoulder.

"Fine." The boy receded, taking her with him, just reluctantly.

Naruto found a chuckle escape his lips as he used shunpo to get home, ready to get some ramen in his belly before training. He wondered if Sakura and Sasuke would actually date some, if so, he didn't think it would be that bad. She might stop complaining about not being with her 'Sasuke-kun' all the time. Maybe he'd find a way to get that shouting out of her, take her around the village, anything. Bah, it wasn't Naruto's place to make of what will happen, he was just happy that he could at least get some of the loud mouth out of Sakura.

The blond Jinjuriki stood in front of his door, hand on the knob, about to go in. However, he neglected to turn it over and come inside. Something was off. The air above the door was taut, hung with a string from a bow, as if some archer was just waiting to sling the arrow of devastation on him, right, when he, opened, this very door. The whiskered blond just had to open it. Just had to turn the handle. Just had to push this piece of oak open, close the door behind. He was but an inch and a half from that arrow, and its stinging blow.

But a few minutes before, Rangiku sat atop a rock, on one of the ridges Naruto and her trained on. She wore her civilian attire, a simple yet bright pink T-shirt, white skirt coming to her knees, and yellow sneakers. She was trimming her nails, a file in one hand, the look of someone who was expecting something.

"When will the human be here?" Came an impatient tone.

Ah, she forgot, the main reason _why_ she was sitting, on a rock, on a ridge, out in the middle of the surrounding forest, waiting for her Naruto to arrive. Her sky blue eyes shifted lazily up to the captain, giving her a glance of indifference.

"Isn't patience a virtue?" She asked, adding, "I thought the captain of the assassination corps would be far more willing to wait for her foe's to come to her, right Soi-Fon?"

The second division captain of the Gotei 13, a petite woman with all the standard shinigami clothes. She had dark eyes, hair short with two wraps of braids coming down to end with large yellow rings. The shorter woman was not very happy to have been chosen for this specific 'test,' believing it was below her attention.

She made that known.

"I do not care who you think he is, he is but a speck, one that if the captain commander had ordered, I would have wiped clean. Do not forget my rank, Rangiku, I will do the same to you under the command." Soi-Fon was livid when she said that, but she reservered her yell and let her words roll over with the threat she gave.

To her ire, Rangiku merely yawned.

Soi-Fon said nothing though, keeping her words within herself, letting the annoyance pass by. She was a captain after all, and what was but a slight annoyance to her? No, she would not allow such inert feelings of anger get the best of her. She was a rock-Soi-Fon reminded herself-a rock that let all water pass over and around it, nothing and no one could bother her, so long as she held control over hers-

"You know, he'll be pretty mad when he finds out you abducted me."

"...what." Soi-Fon found herself slip, confusion knitting her brows.

Rangiku merely got off her rock and began to give herself some distance from her and the shorter woman. Then, when she was far enough, the orange haired lass shouted back with, "ya, he won't fight hard unless you're going to kill him or his friends!"

"What does that have to do with-"

 _BAM!_

Her rising ire had been cut when suddenly someone had slugged her a good one across the face, sending her pin wheeling through dirt and earth before she finally forced her hand into the ground, correcting her rocketing body with a flip, landing square on her feet. Her captain's cloak had been ripped from her body in the tumble across the land, that much she knew, but little else was harmed. Soi-Fon's darkly eyed gaze raised up to her attacker, furious that someone got the drop on her.

Naruto stood there with his fist still out, his own fury rising just as the Reishi was around him, a dark pulse of crimson it was, wafting around with its owners own anger. Naruto wanted nothing more than to slug the woman across from him again, harder this time, but knew she was aware of him. This time he knew she'd probably be able to dodge it or block.

His eyes slid over to Rangiku, seeing that she was okay. He knew from the note that she wasn't really in immediate danger, it sounded much like a 'save me prince from the menacing dragon' kind of letter. But, that didn't mean that this woman, this captain, was going to deviate from her orders and not kill them if he failed this 'test.'

"Who are you?" Ah, she spoke, finally...

"Naruto Uzimaki, who are you?" He asked in turn, still angry.

"Soi-Fon."

Naruto nodded a slight and reached for his zampakto on his back. Before he could, however, Soi-Fon was in front of him, her zampakto released, forming some kind of black and yellow gauntlet around her arm, a piece extending out as a sharp pointed stinger on her middle finger. He rocked back, avoiding the first swipe, and kicked her in the side with a sweeping shin to her side. Soi-Fon took the blow and advanced, shooting her arm forward like a spear. Naruto just barely slapped her arm away, keeping that stinger like weapon from piercing his chest.

His fist clenched in a fist and his white knuckles swept through the air, colliding with Soi-Fon's nose. The woman tumbled once, landing on her feet, skidding to a stop. She did not look at Naruto, her face downward. The blond was going to advance when his own blood seemed to spit out his arm. Naruto clenched it with his other to stop the bleeding.

"I just cut a ligament on your arm there, you won't be using It for some time, and the bleeding won't stop unless heavy pressure is applied with the other arm. Even then, _Naruto,_ it will take some time for it to stop, leaving you with no means of defense." As Soi-Fon explained this, her head slowly rolled up, bright eyed with a slight smirk on her lips. She was, however, surprised when he began laughing.

"Hm hm hm hm hm," it began at first as a low chuckle, "heh heh heh heh heh," next it rose up from his throat, like a man on the verge of impending madness, "Ha ha ha ha ha, ah ha ha hahahahahaha, _hahahaha!_ " There, it exploded out in a rupture of insanity! Bursting from his throat and escaping his malicious fangs as his head threw back, unable to control his own onset of lunacy!

His head snapped back down as his laughter died.

" _You think that's gonna stop me?"_

Soi-Fon's eyes bugged out of her head at the tone of his voice, it was damn near demonic in its trill of fury and dark bark of words. Even Rangiku, on the side lines, reeled a slight at them.

Naruto removed his hand from his arm and showed that the bleeding had ceased, the only indication that he had been sliced was the dry blood and ripped cloth of his trench coat. His feet began to move. His boots a slow, insidious sway, his arms spread like the wings of bats, ready to encompass her form.

" _You come here, on orders to kill me and my precious person if I failed this test._ _You give no condolences to that fact, you attack without giving your opponent a fair shot, and you stand there smirking?_ _Thinking this is over?"_ His voice began to rise as his steps came closer to her, but she could not move. Her legs would not listen. _Move! Attack! Move!_ , she screamed in her mind, but all she could do was stare into those venomous vermilion slitted orbs, just beneath that scarlet fedora and crimson tinted goggles. Hadn't they been blue just moments before?!

No!

They held her there in their own rapt attention of rattling insanity, bowing over her with a leer shaking her to her very soul. She could only stare on in horror as his eyes engorged her in its own fury. They were the very chains binding her to her spot, locking her in all enormity of madness made man.

He was before her now, his arms spread wide _just_ like the wings of some great beast! Ready to take flight and carry her off! His lips were curled back in a vicious snarling grin, pointed teeth like that of a sharks, ready to devour! Ready to consume! His very presence was bane to her! His very stench of foul malicousness filled her with utter terror! And he was mere moments away from her, but a breath of air between them. Soi-Fon felt it, her death was not but inches from her face, he was death, he was the executioner! No, no no _no_ _no_ _nononono! She was going to_ _ **die!**_

" **You think I am a _fool!_ "**

Next, she saw stars explode behind her vision, pin pricks of light bursting as she felt her petite form get launched through earth and rock, over and over her form tumbled in a rictus mess of limbs. It only ended a moment later, her body pinned in rock and dirt, a shudder of breath was all she could do to keep herself alive, her whole form aching with maddening pain, everything seemed to be aflame. Her arms were wet with blood, _her_ blood, and she was sure several ribs and other bones were broken, left in odd ends of angles that should not be.

Her eyes were heavy lids, but she managed to see the very boots of the man who slugged her. Strangely, she felt no fear, nor terror this time. Was it his very Reishi that had once before encompassed her in terror, much like Kenpachi? Whatever the case, she did not fear the hand of death that seemed to dangle so close to her gaze, even as this Naruto fellow came closer. Perhaps he would finish her off, a fine end, to fight such as he. It would be nice, to get away from this excruciating pain, to no longer be. Maybe if she could move, maybe she'd be fighting tooth and nail for life and destroy him, but no. As it were, with not a nerve responding but in pain, she was helpless in what he would do.

But, just before she could let that infinite sleep take her, he slammed his stiff fingers through the rock, right by her back. His whole arm seemed to dig in as he pulled her from the stone, jerking her prone form from its imprisonment.

Gently, he laid her on the ground, her whole form out for him to examine.

"One two three four...five ribs and a shin bone are broken for sure, more fractures, and lacerations all across the body. Hm. . ." Naruto spoke softly as he clicked his tongue. One absent finger wiped some blood from her arm. He put it in his mouth and took off one of his gloved hands a moment later, biting his thumb until red began to spill from the skin.

"W-what are you doing?" Her mouth managed to move in a rictus gurgle of pain filled words.

"Open." He told, grabbing her by the chin. She tried to resist at first, but could not with the sheer pain raking her form. Eventually, her lips parted and she was forced to hold onto his thumb. He would have teased that she looked like a little girl then but decided to be cheeky later. As she drank his blood- _forced_ _to!_ -he began to speak in a low and somehow caring tone, despite what he had done.

"Right now, I have used the ability of my shikai. It works so that I can keep myself alive by consuming the blood of others-whether my zampakto does or not-taking the identity of their Reiyuko, copying it as my own so that even if they die, I can have an extra life. But. . .if you also take my blood, you too will continue to live, with accelerated healing, so long as I live, otherwise, we both die until I break such a tie."

Soi-Fon almost missed his words, but understood what that meant. If she died, he would not, if he died, she would. Therefore...damn.

Her body seemed to be getting better by the second, and it seemed Naruto sensed this as he finally removed his digit. He stood fully erect on his feet, and offered his hand to her. With her ribs still sore, Soi-Fon accepted it, if reluctantly. When she was on her feet, she did notice he was taller, almost by two heads. She found herself mesmerized though, his gaze returning to that sapphire blue she had seen before. Her dark eyes looked him up and down, letting her gaze shift all across him until they landed on where she had cut him.

"Y-your clothes-ach!" She found herself bowl over as pain raked her ribs, she wheezed against it. Naruto supported Soi-Fon up, but it seemed standing was beginning to be too much, so he picked her up and into his arms, her legs over one arm while the other supported her head.

"It will take a day or two for those ribs of yours to fully heal, so take it easy. And if you're wondering, my clothes are apart of me, ripping them can be fixed with Reiatsu, now please, _relax._ " Naruto told, voice gentle like laden snow, coming to her ears in a lullaby. She felt her eyes begin to shut, but before they could, she pulled out a small phone, calling someone. A few snipits of words were exchanged before she shut the phone.

"What was that?" He asked, a laugh almost at his lips.

"I told someone to tell Yamamoto that you passed."

"Does that mean you have to leave now? I can-"

"I am staying to help you train, it is my decision."

Although her words seemed to wain a slight, as if her motives were different than that, he let them slid for now. Thought on the matter of her staying-

"Ah, um, eh. . .fine."

-Naruto conceded as he took Soi-Fon and Rangiku back to his house, an extra mouth to feed, but he didn't mind, at least he still had Rangiku by his side. And a red haired fox woman. And now a stinging petite woman.

 _How many girls are going to keep coming?_ Naruto wondered.

 **A/N**

 **There ya go! The third girl raises her head to Naruto! So far its Rangiku, Kyuubi, and Soi-Fon at the harem wheel. But do not worry, more will come to bring about chaos to the poor guy's life.**

 **Alright, to clear things up though, Rangiku does not know of Kyuubi, let alone what she and Naruto did. That is, until she is released from the seal. Can't _wait_ to write that scene!**

 **Hope ya guys liked this extra long chapter, I know I did, so...have a great day guys!**

 **:^)**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Perspectives

It had been but a few days since the test Naruto had taken, a few simple days on getting to know his and Rangiku's new...house guest. Were those the right words? Well, whatever it was you called someone after they were gonna kill you if you failed a test, and now was almost forcing themselves in your home. Now, don't get Naruto wrong, he did not mind the extra person, nor the fact she packed light-a relief when compared to what Rangiku would carry-and he actually found her mannerisms quite amusing. She found that most everything must be serious, even setting the table for breakfast in an orderly way.

Though, in Naruto's mind, she was just a bit _salty_.

It were early morning and he had woken up, and so he decided to sit about and get his thoughts in order. Though, that was easy to say, it was hard to do, for instance, Soi-Fon and her sudden stay, or Kyuubi and what she and he did. He avoided that last thought however, not wanting to awaken Rangiku or Soi-Fon-who was in a side room sound asleep-and decided to think on the latter, knowing he'd end up cursing greatly at himself for cheating.

Strange thing about Soi-Fon, if he would misplace something, she would scold him and immediately put it back, making whatever it was face the way it was supposed to, brand and all. Well, Soi-Fon was not all that bad, having someone actually clean messes instead of make them was good, for all in the home actually. He didn't have to bear Rangiku's lazy response to why she didn't clean, and he himself wouldn't have to clean as much. As for the second captain, it was like moving meditation, meticulous yet structured, and it seemed to calm her despite the woman's initial response to the mess.

Kinda like those sand rock gardens with the rakes, making lines around them and all, but with cleaning.

Naruto thought it was kinda cute too, the way she was, small and easy to look down at, not eye to eye.

 _Bah! What am I thinking! I have enough to deal with! Between Rangiku and Kyuubi trying to pull me somewhere! I do not need another-_

 _Ah~I didn't mean to bring this on you Naruto, sorry, I guess I will leave you be._

With a groan, the whiskered blond pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course, he forgot, Kyuubi had been listening to his thoughts within the seal, and now she's using his mind to communicate. It wasn't that bad, besides the fact that she kept asking for him to come inside the seal for things he was not willing to repeat. When he denied her, he could swear he felt her turn about, making a _humph_ sound before saying she didn't want to be around him anyway.

Strange one, that Kyuubi.

But, look at what he got doing that the last time. Naruto wished Kyuubi hadn't done that, it just made things more complicated. If when the nine tails get out, and she sticks around-which he knew she would-she and Rangiku might duke it out, and he did not want to be in the middle of that. Plus, now listen here-he honestly was beginning to love the orange haired lass-but he also honestly did not think she'd last long against someone with the power of flattening mountains with ease.

 _Kyuubi, you know me and Rangiku-_

 _I don't mind._ She snapped a reply.

Although Naruto tried to reason with her, Kyuubi just dropped something he'd rather not think about.

 _What?_ He questioned, knowing already what she was talking about.

 _When I get out, I don't mind sharing, sharing is caring, right~_ Her voice dropped and he had to pinch his nose again, trying to keep his mind steeled from the thoughts that were beginning to swarm. He held his breath for a moment, then let it out, trying to calm himself.

"For the love of...Kyuubi, if I were any other man I'd jump on that idea but this is the real world, women don't simply just 'share' a guy. They try to either kill each other or the guy, or both. I really don't know how I am gonna explain what we did to Rangiku when-

He paused, looked up at a clock in the kitchen, then cursed.

"Shit, I have to get to get to the academy soon."

Naruto quickly formed his hand seals, making a few clones. It was strange, using both those energies, but he figured it didn't matter, so long as he could. Naruto set about, telling his clones all that they were to do. One began making breakfast and another began cleaning. The real Naruto set himself up with a piece of paper and pen, writing down what was going on.

With that, he taped it to the fridge for the two woman of the house to see when they woke and began making his way to the academy.

A few minutes passed quietly in the apartment home of the Jinjuriki, and Soi-Fon had finally decided to get up from slumber. She always got up early and fixed herself something to eat, and today was no exception. Her mind was a bit clouded from sleep however, so when she half walked half stumbled into the living room and open kitchen, she about pinched herself.

"So, he was not lying about the clones." She found herself say, moving towards them with a bit of hesitance.

"Hey Soi-Soi." One clone acknowledged with a grin.

"What did you-"

"Hey, I made some breakfast for you and Rangiku, eat." Another told, proffering her ramen.

Soi-Fon took a moment to let her mind catch up, a bit flustered with the attention. She thanked the clone and began eating.

"Is that a blush?"

Soi-Fon stopped eating after that, her eyes finding the clone who spoke. It was the one who called her 'Soi-Soi.' She clenched her fist and socked the clone across the face, making it poof away in a plume of smoke.

Satisfied that she could eat in relative piece, Soi-Fon began to eat again, sitting down on the couch.

Naruto was flash stepping towards the academy when the memories of his clone came rushing back. "Huh, so she does not like being called Soi-Soi, got to remember that." He told himself, feeling a slight grin come up the side of his face.

The whiskered blond made his way to the building moments later, making his way towards the specified room. He found Sasuke and Sakura there, the latter having a bright blush on her face, the former trying to hide his in the high collar of his shirt. Naruto stepped up towards him and saw that he was now a good head taller than him, and decided to tease him on two fronts.

"So, shorty got a girlfriend?"

"Shut it, dope." Sasuke snapped back, if a little shy with his words.

Sakura said nothing, hands behind her back, still smiling.

 _Creeeepy, but okay._

With that, they made their way towards the the stairs just down the hall, making their way up. Some strange things waited them on top, a turtle being one of them, and a boy with the largest eye brows Naruto had ever seen. He ignored them and continued up, but stopped when Sasuke seemed to be challenged by the green spandex bushy browed kid.

"Oh whatamIgonnadowithyou." Naruto quickly said before shouting back that he would be waiting for them upstairs.

He made his way up and through a pair of doors, finding himself in a room full of shinobi. Not just any shinobi, but genin, from all over the world-he could see by their headband. For some reason they all just stared at him, like he was a phantom, a wraith just waiting to sweep down and devour them, to go and reap them all. Fear? My my, they must be weak, he hadn't even grinned yet, or let any Reishi out-or if he had it was not by purpose.

Naruto decided he'd just have a sit at one of the tables, prop his feet up, relax.

He found a seat in the middle of the room of the tables,doing just that. He noticed everyone still staring at him and he laughed a little, making all present flinch beneath the harsh sound. Tipping his hat over his tinted goggles, Naruto finally let out a grin.

"Are you all so afraid that my standing here effects you? If so, none of you should be here."

As he said this, one of the genin shouted out at him.

"Then why are you here! You don't even have a headband!"

"Lost it~"

"So!"

Naruto shook his head a slight and decided to shut their mouth. His body went up in a rigor mortus effect, his whole body stiff as he raised from his seat, a wide ark when he stood on the table, as if possessed by a demon.

"Try me, I dare you, I double dog dare you mother-" Naruto stopped himself, finally recognizing the voice. "Kiba, you dirty bastard!" He shouted, a smile on his face, stepping on the air for a moment before hopping down to extend a hand.

"Do I know you?" The boy asked as Akimaru yipped at him.

Naruto pulled his tinted goggles up a slight with his fedora.

"Naruto!" Recognition flashed in his eyes at last, "when did you get so tall?"

"Oh, you know, drank my milk, exorcised daily, use Reishi a lot."

"Rei-wha-"

"Nothing, just make sure these basic bitches keep quiet, I got napp'in to do."

And with that, Naruto headed back to his seat, already snoring away, leaving Kiba to deal with over a hundred angry glares.

A few minutes passed, Sasuke came back with bruises, but a Sakura on his shoulder, which also became an Ino Yamanaka. They began to biker and Naruto was awakened from his slumber. He sat up straight and yelled over to Kiba.

"Boi, what did I tell you about the bitches?!"

"That's not my job!" Kiba complained back.

"It is now!" Naruto snapped back.

"Well why don't you deal with it then if it's so concerning!?" Kiba bellowed in return.

"Okay." Naruto's voice suddenly dropped, and all around, it seemed like pressure was raining on all who was in the room. Everyone had to take a knee, feeling fear begin to boil up in them. He took steps on the air once more, going over all their heads and towards the front of the room with the chalk board.

"Now, if you would all be quiet, I have a lesson for you. Number one," he held up his fingers for them all to see, "do not, under any circumstances, _disturb my sleep._ " Here he held up two more. "Now for two and three, do not inturrupt me, or I will personally slash Suta Suraisa on all of you. And for the third, if you by chance want revenge for this humiliation, just remember that if you choose to harm those close to me," here, he paused, his eyes flashing scarlet slits, **"I will devour you."**

With that, the pressure ended, leaving all in a desperate need to puke. Terror steamed in them so much that when he passed by, they gave in a good few feet of space. He sat back down, but no one moved.

"Sit." He commanded.

Just as he said this, the proctor, Ibiki, would say that he had never seen kids get to their seats as fast as these did. The black cloaked man silently thanked the Naruto guy though, because his work had already been cut out for him. Putting such fear into fellow genins, coupled with the strenuous test he was going to put them through, there was going to be scarcity among chunins this year, that's for sure.

His voice rose above the silence, telling them the rules of the test. When he was finished, paper was passed about, and everyone was given a pencil to use. It took a bit for them to figure it out, but when they did, Naruto had to grin.

A test that encouraged cheating? Backwards thinking if this was regular school, but, then again, it wasn't. He noticed several of the chunins lined against the walls began to dot down and reduce points, or doodling. They knew the genin were watching, so by making them anxious, they were more likely to act desperate, which reduced their points until they were kicked out.

Naruto wanted to laugh, but knew he'd be kicked out too, so, instead, he went for a low chuckle.

Beside him, Hinata was blushing. She was by Naruto, of course, and couldn't help it. He suddenly glanced at her, and gave a slight nod in recognition. Her face lit up some more, but he stared on at in the distance, as if his mind were elsewhere. He suddenly picked up his pencil and wrote down something.

 _The cake is a lie._

Blinking, Hinata's lavender gaze fixed itself back up to Naruto, who began tapping the test with the eraser end of his pencil. It took the byakugan user a moment to recognize what he was saying. The test wasn't an actual test, it was merely a part of the actual test. They were supposed to gather information without being caught, but, that wasn't the whole of it. And, if she were right, if they had to wait 45 minutes for the first question to be given in the first place, then that only confirmed it.

Time went by, and many genin teams were kicked out, leaving their numbers to dwindle more and more, making others nervous, slip up, and get kicked out too. So, when the mark of 45 minutes lapsed, Ibiki began to speak once more. He told everyone that was left that if they failed this question, they would no longer be able to take the chunin test again, but if they wanted to, they could leave and try again next year. All were shocked except Naruto, who yawned, much to the interrogators ire.

A few more dropped out, and Ibiki smirked.

"Is that all? Anymore? You will be genin forever if you fail, your pay will remain the same, and you won't be able to exceed?" He took a look around once more, then smiled.

"Then I guess, you all pass."

Naruto felt their expression's change into that of relief, and confusion. But, the proctor congratulated them, and said that the next proctor would be here shortly-

Glass bowed and exploded as a large banner flew out over the front of the class-room, covering Ibiki. Another shape came flying through, standing on the desk for all to see her grandourous entrance of flash and bang.

"My name is Anko Mitarashi! I will be your next proctor!" She shouted to the genins, a grin plastered over her face.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, a bigger grin on his face. She looked at him for a moment, a raised brow, but grinned once more, trying to beat him with her own boisterousness. "Were are we going next?" He asked.

"Forest of Death's entrance." She told, her grin failing even as his grew.

"Neat, beat you there." He told, his body disappearing from view.

It took a moment for Anko to catch up with what was said, her mind lagging on his words. When they finally clicked, her expression was between slight anger, but interest. Before she slipped away in a swirl of leaves, she said-

"Oh it is on!"

Naruto was speeding towards the entrance to the Forest of Death, a bit excited. This woman was going to try and race him there, he knew that. She was much like him, boisterous, but not stupid. He could tell she was competitive, a woman that maybe he'd battle some time.

"Brat!"

Man, he really needed to get her number.

Anko Mitarashi was behind him as they bound over the building tops, getting ever closer to the tree line. She was gaining on him, and she was grinning wide, that much he could see. She had it in her mind that she was going to win. And he had to admit, she might, it was neck and neck. How was she able to keep up when he was using shunpo? Maybe Anko had her own version, or maybe she was just that quick.

But, he was quicker.

Naruto gave her a glance, a grin, and gave the piece sign. All she heard next was a _shew_ , and he was gone. The woman's eyes widened and she tripped, tumbling into the air. Luckily, she was out of the way of the village, but unluckily, she was rapidly falling into the earth. She covered her head and prepared for the pain.

 _Huh?_

It took her a moment to realize it, but she was not imbedded in the ground. Nor did she feel pain. Her eyes opened, and all she saw was blank darkness. Was it so that she was in purgatory already? Had the fall killed her, and now God was deciding on whether or not to send her up or down? It felt like it, this place of sticky tar, without shape or form.

Light was peeling before her vision, and she was essentially spat out.

Anko rolled rapidly for a few moments before she tried to correct herself, jumping up, only to hit her back against a tree.

"Auh. . ." She groaned, falling flat on her face.

Moments later, she stood, a half grin on her face

"You think your funny don't you?

She found Naruto and threw a kunai at him, intending to cut his cheek, but after so many turns and tumbles, her aim was off. With being so preoccupied with saving Anko, Naruto could do nothing as the kunai slammed right into his face, blood spurting out as his whole body crumpled to the ground, twitching a slight.

There was a great silence echoing across, and Anko's mind finally registered what she had done.

"Shit!" She cursed, almost flying over to his side.

The wound was fatal, she saw, and her mind raced to try to find a way to fix her mistake. Why, why did she have to kill this interesting genin? He was kinda cute-until he took a kunai to the face. Damn, damn damn damn, every time she tried to just joke around, she ended up doing this! Well, not specifically _this_ but that was besides the point.

Anko was gonna call in someone when his hand suddenly leapt to life. Her heart jumped from her chest, and she was frozen in fear. That hand was without eyes to help search, and it began to flail out. It calmed when it found Anko's hand on its owner's chest, however. She watched as it slowly began to creep up her arm, and to her shoulder.

"Ah!" She screamed a bit, the hand squeezing her chest. She smacked Naruto's face by instinct, sending the hand away. Somehow, with a kunai in his skull, Naruto was able to speak. "Oh, thank you, when this kunai came through my brain, it jumbled up my sense of direction. My eyes also have blood over them, so it doesn't help, even with the goggles." He told, as if speaking about the general weather.

Anko was not sure to be grossed out, or morbidly, yet highly, intrigued.

She watched his hand grab that of the kunai's handle, and yank it out without a single flinch. "Ah, much better, you would think a wooden splinter is bad, but metal ones are worse." He told, still sounding way too calm for what happened to him.

"Hey, by chance, could you pop those water balloons, I kinda need them to get the blood out of my eyes."

"But I don't have water balloons." Her voice was numb.

"Then what did I-"

"Oh, haha, sorry, I-I have a canteen." Her laugh was nervous as a blush began spreading across her cheeks.

"But canteen's aren't soft-"

"Shhhhh." She interrupted, pouring water all over his face, water logging him as she cleaned his eyes of blood, removing the tinted goggles that helped little, a bit surprised to find the wound closed already-if at all closed in the first place.

Anko felt pretty bad, you know, killing someone, who continued to be chill about it kind of bad. Though, had she killed him? Or was he using some kind of blood line? No genjutsu, she was sure, nor was it a ninjutsu. Nothing could have saved him from a direct blow to the brain like that, the damn kunai was logged to the handle in his skull. So how had he survived?

She was finished cleaning him and gave back his goggles.

"Thanks Anko, um, you can get off me now."

The snake user looked down and her eyes widened to some extent. Her chest was pressed into his, and so much so that her breasts were being pushed up. When had she done that? Bah! She didn't care, she was actually thinking about teasing the blond, in fact...

"Don't you like girls, Naruto-kun~" She asked, her voice dropping.

With a sigh, Naruto said-

"-First of all-I already have to deal with two and one is pushing herself on me already-second of all-even if I wanted to do that with you, which I wouldn't mind, the others are already here."

She jumped up faster than he had ever seen anyone move, her feet moving her before the rest of the group. She looked back on him with a confident face.

"What are you doing on the ground maggot! Get in line!"

He raised a brow to her, and used shunpo, getting right behind her. He knew her angle, she wanted to show she was the top dog, keep the runts in line. She knew he was one of the stronger genin, and there little race proved that, so by making him follow directions, the rest would do the same. Now, he could help her, you know, extend the olive branch and all, but he was too damn cheeky.

"Oh, no Anko, _you're_ the one who needs to get in line." He whispered loud enough for them to hear, right in her ear. She tried to turn away from him, but his white gloved hands held her sides, holding her still. "Are you blushing?" He asked, seeing the red on her cheeks.

"G-get I-In line-" Her voice staggered.

"You know, its a bit complicated, but because you killed me once, I ended up using a life of someone elses Reiyuko I copied. I only have two left, and the one I don't want to waste is healing well because of me, so, you won't mind if I take your blood? All I have to do, is sink in my teeth, sip out the inside a it, you won't mind, will you?" He asked, leaning into her neck, a cocky grin on his face.

"D-don't." She tried to resist.

"I promise it won't hurt," he leaned back up to her ear, nibbling on it a slight, _"just a little nip."_

His mouth opened, those razors grazing her skin, forcing a gasp come from the woman.

"Oh well," he said, standing up straight, "guess you don't want to help any, I have to take a test anyway." Naruto told, his cocky grin back on his face as he walked up beside his team, standing behind them.

"W-what-"

"Come on Anko, we are just _genin_ , we're gonna have to take this test of yours, so get on with it."

The Mitarashi felt two things rise up in her then. On one hand, she wanted to smack that grin off his face, on the other, she wanted to take him into her home and not ever let him out. But, ultimately, the stares of the many forced her to shake herself from what he had done.

Back at Naruto's apartment, Rangiku was just now waking up from her sleep. She grumbled a bit as she made her way to the kitchen, her hair all frizzed and wild. Soi-Fon was on the couch, reading calmly. Rangiku was going to tell her good morning, but soon got an idea. Sneaking as best she could behind the captain, the orange haired lass threw her arms over her neck, pushing her face between Soi-Fon's shoulder and neck.

"AH!" The woman tried to leap away, surprised that the former lieutenant got under her radar.

"Hey hey Soi-Fon~What ya read'in?" She asked, rubbing her face against the others.

"Th-that's-that is none of your business!"

Rangiku raised a brow, swiping the book without thought. The captain tried to get it back from her but her reach failed. Soi-Fon's cheeks began to burn bright red as Rangiku read the title. "Icha Icha Paradise? What is this?" She asked, looking back down at the shorter woman. She saw Soi-Fon grip the cushion of the couch a bit too hard, nearly tearing it as her face turned ever redder.

"I-I saw it at the market, it was quite popular, m-many people tried to buy it, and-"

"What's it about?" Rangiku cut the stuttering woman off and began to skim through. Soon, her face began to flush crimson too, but instead of worry, a sly grin spread itself across her face. " Oh Soi-Fon~I didn't know you were a pervert~"

Rangiku threw the book back at the captain, and leapt just as she did. Completely caught off guard, Soi-Fon let the book hit her, and instead braced herself as Rangiku's larger form came over her petite one. They rolled off the couch and tumbled across the floor, Rangiku trying to grapple the captain, her grin still on her face.

Soi-Fon had Rangiku's arm trapped between her legs, her arms holding the others down. Rangiku rolled into it, breaking the hold shooting one leg over and the other under Soi-Fon's neck, holding one of the captains legs by the crook of her elbow. Soi-Fon tried to escape, but found struggling only cost her wasted air.

"W-what a-are you doing, f-fool?" She managed to growl out at the curvaceous woman.

"Oh Soi-Fon, if I knew you were a pervert, I would have done this long ago, you do know a strict woman can be fun too, right?" Rangiku told, her grin wide and her eyes searching for something.

"It is n-not l-like that!"

"Oh, then why were you on chapter four? You're not fooling me." The former lieutenant brought her free hand over the captain's stomach, finger tips lining out the center before climbing the slim legs Soi-Fon had.

"Ah~" She couldn't help the moan that escaped as Rangiku continued.

"See, you're like me~"

Soi-Fon bit her lip, trying to keep herself from sighing. How long ago was it since she had ever done something like that? She honestly couldn't remember, too enamored in her duties to concern herself. But, that didn't mean she wanted those. . .feelings to be solved like this, with another woman no less! She tried to think of a way out, but could not, her mind beginning to haze over as heat began to spread from her stomach, going out to her chest and legs, reaching her head. But, something finally came to mind.

"I-I thought you and N-Naruto were-" She tried to argue, but was interrupted.

"In a way of speaking, yes, we are together-in more ways than one-but I don't think he'll mind if he finds us in certain...position's." Rangiku told, bringing her digits over and down to the inside of the slim thighs of Soi-Fon.

"N-No. . .you, y-you are no normal p-pervert! Y-you, you're a super pervert!"

It was at that moment, far away, that an older man with white spiky hair and red clothes sneezed. He looked about, and shouted out in a great voice, "no! Someone is trying to take my title!"

Back with Naruto and his team, they were currently in the forest of death, hopping tree to tree. It would appear that they would have to get to the center of this place, a tower was erected there. Not only that, but they had to find another scroll, a heaven scroll, they had an earth scroll, and anyone with an heaven scroll needed to get an earth scroll.

"Hmm, something tells me, we are gonna be screwed if we stop, but, Sasuke and Sakura cannot keep speeding towards the center and fight as well. So, the question is, is there a secure spot we can find for a base. But with so many prying eyes...oh, wait wait wait, I know what to do." Naruto's face suddenly lit up like no other, his head snapping between his two team-mates.

"Is it possible that you two can keep from getting into trouble for ten minutes, I have a plan to keep us safe and get rest during the night."

Sasuke looked back, thinking on it. Naruto was already very powerful-which pissed him off a bit-but he knew that going along with his plan and it succeeding would mean they could get rest and stay at the ready. Although he didn't know what the young man was up to, he nodded. Sakura did the same.

"Good, see ya in a bit." And with that, Naruto dissipated in a flash-step.

Mere moments later, the howls and cries of great beasts were heard throughout the whole of the forest, and even the wails of human's every so often became a breath of dread for them all. Sasuke felt a chill run up his spine, actually feeling sorry for anyone who dared get in the blond's path as he did. . .something. He did not rightly know what the blond was doing, or why, but whatever it was, it was frightening. It mattered not in the end, though, so long as it helped the team. Ten minutes passed, and somehow, he found them again, bounding next to them from tree to tree. All over the Jinjuriki there was blood, his whole clothes scratched up, blood at the corner of his lips.

Both Sasuke and Sakura doubted it was his.

"Did you get a scroll?" Sasuke found himself say, unable to ask what the former had committed. The eyes behind the tinted goggles flashed an angry crimson, a vibe of frustration coming over him. He tilted his head back between leaps, glaring back at the Uchiha.

"Only another earth scroll, I left it there, with however they were."

Sakura was the one to flinch at the harsh words, so uncaring even for those who provoked the young lad.

No one dared speak, respecting that the blond was frustrated, for doing whatever amount of work he did, it seemed they could not finish the test too swiftly. They knew he was now very strong, and for whatever effort was done to help them, must have left him a bitter. Something didn't sit well, it seemed.

"Hey, look, sorry for snapping at ya." Naruto apologized, throwing a softer glance back at the two. "It may be hard to understand, but, with the powers given to me, I acquired abilities you wouldn't believe. This zanpakuto on my back is only one of them. The other involves copying the composition of someones spiritual particles. Reiyuko if you will, and it allows me to regenerate even if I 'die.' It's just a bit difficult to manage, so, it leaves me irritable."

Sasuke and Sakura were a bit taken back by that. Naruto usually did not apologize, specially now that people were hard pressed to threaten him to do so. But, he willingly accepted his fault, apologizing for getting mad at nothing. It was a human moment, at least for the two behind him. Though, the moment was gone when, out of no where, came one of the largest snakes they had yet to see.

"JESUS MOTH'A F-!"

And it went straight for Naruto, swallowing the poor sod whole.

 **A/N**

 **Goodness gracious! How have ya guys been? Good I hope. I've been a bit scattered lately, school, and writing. I'm actually working on a horror novel, so, switching from death gods and ninja to psycho paths is a bit confusing, but I think i'm getting the hang of it.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I know I did, I laughed when I wrote that last part. Also, for the concern of the harem, Rangiku seems like the kind of person who would do what was done, Soi-Fon looks like the kind of person that would kill a guy who'd cheat on her. Then again, with how she admires Yoruichi, I doubt it would be a guy she'd kill for that reason. Do not concern though, it won't be so easy when it comes to Halibel, she's more stand-off-ish, and won't be a tsudenere per say, just less likely to allow that to happen to her with other girls.**

 **Okay, so with that out the way, and this chapter over, I wish you guys a wonderful day, and do not forget to leave a review, or private massage me if you have questions, do not be afraid to ask, anything is allowed.**

 **See ya :^)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! So I hope you guys had a good week between updates, it sure has been for me.**

 **So, today, Naruto's gonna get a surprise when he gets home, but it won't go as you might think. And, for you guys, Naruto gets to show off the extent of his power today, something I was hoping to give a point to. Naruto is strong, very powerful, but he is not limitless, he has times where his strength fails him, but not so utterly so. He is not a God, by no means, just a very strong shinobi and very good with shinigami powers.**

 **Alrighty then, lets get this thing going! We finally get to see Naruto at his full power with his shikai, and then some! So lets get this a roll'in!**

 **I owe nothing!**

Chapter 13

Fighting in the Shade

 _So. . .swallowed by a giant snake, whole. Not pleasant, still being processed down the gullet of the damn thing. Is my luck a spectrum of good and bad, on one hand, I am being eaten, very, very bad luck. On the other hand, the snake is going to get a bad surprise as well._

Naruto was a bit salty, you know, being swallowed by a _freaking snake!_ -will do that to ya. But, that wasn't so bad, not when you could make clones. Naruto brought his hands together for such a thing, intending to burst out with an overwhelming amount of kage bushin. Before he molded the Chakra to do so, however, another idea wormed its way into the young lads mind.

Outside the snake, the large purple constrictor itself was enjoying its meal, happy to please its master. It was slithering along the forest floor, letting the scarlet trench coat fool slip further down its throat when it felt something begin to reverberate within? Strange, it was almost as if the boy was laughing like a mad-

 _ **HISSSSSS!**_

It curled up in pain as a hot searing feeling wretched at its gullet. How was such pain possible! It felt as though several large spears were clamping down on its inside, tearing about its inner walled muscles, crunching the nerves without fail! Blood began pouring out of its fanged mouth, spattering the ground crimson, staining the greenery of the place.

Its skin felt so dry then, even as the pain increased. No, it wasn't even its scales and soft flesh beneath, _everything_ was drier than a bone! Its sharp eyes felt like they were going to burst into sand! From nose to tail, it was as if a sun was burning all the liquid in it, shriveling it into the husk of a once great beast. With all color gone, and blood drained, left with nothing, it finally felt its very soul get sucked into that of infinite darkness, to never be anymore.

From the adust form of the now dead and gone snake, emerged Naruto, completely unscathed.

"Woo! You were quite a meal, my purple fellow! Not too much of a fight if I'm on the inside however, that's disappointing. Oh well, you'll find the miasma of void darkness more accommodated now that you have company in there. Now...to find the son'ova bitch who sicked you on me."

Naruto felt around, and found two familiar Reiyuko near, and one he did not. _Oh~_ Naruto thought, _that one's strong._ He turned towards them, and flash stepped, a damn grin about splitting his face. It did not take him long to find them, the snake not getting too far when he was eaten. When he arrived, a tree's arm above them, his team-mates were surprised.

"Naruto!" They yelled.

"Pft, ya think a hardy fellow like me's gonna die gett'in eaten?!" He yelled back down, smiling like a cheshire. He turned his head to the man who had stronger Reiyuko-and probably Chakra-than the two below. He began reaching for his zanpakuto. Naruto whipped the blade down, pulled the trigger, and swung up, extending the blade.

"Drink and be filled, Hocho o Mimashita! Blast my enemies to vapor, Dojina Hito!" The blond Jinjuriki bellowed out for all to hear. Without a second thought, he flashed out in a burst of speed, swiping his blade across the skinny frame of the man. Red shot out from the slash as the body was sent through the air like a rocket, its back hitting the tree's main branch with a thud.

Naruto had to blink.

Once.

Twice.

 _Thrice._

"Oh goddamn it! I thought he was able to dodge that!" Naruto's indignant shout reached the two behind him, confusing them. They did not know he wanted a good fight, and so did not understand his frustration. But, before the young lad could go off on a rant, the fallen form of the man he slashed twitched. Naruto noticed and held his blade at the ready.

A person burst out of the body, one just as skinny, his long black hair obscuring his face. The man stepped out of the body, a tan tunic and dull colored shorts tied by a large purple rope. The man lifted his head, revealing golden slitted eyes and a pointed face full of sinister desire.

"Heh heh heh heh, do you know who I _am_ dear boy? I am Orochimaru of the former _sannin_ , a tittle equivalent with a Hokage. Ha ha ha ha, oh my, you are the first to get the drop on me like that in a _long_ while, dear boy." More maniacal laughter echoed out the mans throat, a hollow sound to it, void of feeling.

"So." Naruto responded with deadpan.

"Yes that's right, a sannin who-what?" Orochimaru was a bit stunned that the boy was not surprised like his fellows behind him.

"Okay, then if you're telling the truth, then I guess I release." Naruto told, his face falling on that of a stern hardness. Cocking a brow, Orochimaru asked what he meant by those words. "It means I will hold no Chakra, or Reishi back, it means that I will not restrict myself or any of my abilities. This is you're only warning." The snake like man only grew a large grin, a hand on his hip.

"Ha ha ha ha hahahaha! So you're going to use _everything_ against me! You won't be able to do anything boy!" His evil laughter heightened then, as if it was the funniest prospect he had ever heard.

Naruto ignored him, waving his team-mates to leave, to get as far away as they could.

"You asked for it."

With his other hand, he reached inside his crimson trench coat, grabbing something beneath the folds of darkness.

"What, a kunai, or perhaps slew of shuriken, maybe even senbon, heheheh-"

Orochimaru felt his laughter fall short when, as Naruto pulled it out, presented a strange weapon. Was it that even? It looked like a hunk of hollow iron, wrapped in old oaken wood. It had a trigger and hammer on the top near the stock like piece, as if it were like a crossbow-minus the bow. It had a wide brim at the end, like a funnel. He watched Naruto rest that saw cleaver on his shoulder, and point that strange contraption at him.

"My Hocho o Mimashita can use the density of my Reishi, slinging it out as a sharp slash of energy reaching far, but it lacks that initial power once it gets so far out." Naruto told, adjusting the saw cleaver on his shoulder. "But, for sacrificing that great distance, my other zanpakuto takes that Reishi in a small bundle, condensing it, and when it is fired, shoots out like shot. Although it lacks reach, it makes up for it with the sheer power it keeps for that shorter distance." He went on, as Orochimaru began to analyze the boys words. "That is the meaning behind my Dojina Hito, to 'blast' my enemies to vapor, is its power." Here he paused, lifting the barrel higher to line up with the snake man's face.

"But to make those attacks stronger, I must know the names, and incidentally, I do."

He breathed in deep, and pulled the trigger.

"Burasuto!"

A vicious stream of Reiatsu snapped out like thick lightning, speeding towards Orochimaru so fast he could barely snap his body out of the way, the searing burn of its force taking the digits on one of his hands. A barking gasp was given when he fell to a lower branch, unprepared for what occurred. It was not usual for someone to be able to do this to him, to catch him off guard so blatantly. If only he knew what that damned contraption was before hand, what it could do, maybe he would have saved his fingers.

But, oh well, he knew now.

The pale skinned snake man rose from his slumped perch, face dragging against the sky as a grin split his face. How long had it been since his heart beat with a tinge of _fear?_ How long was it ago that he was actually enjoying his time in a fight such as this! No, he _longed_ for this, this fight, the rush of Chakra and blood sending his brain in a hay wire of joy. Now, he had no intentions of dieing, by no means would he fight to his last breath on this, providing the boy could drive him away, but it had been since a long time coming that he could at least stretch himself in a good fight.

Naruto was looking down at him, his expression stoic, stern, hard and cold, void of joy. What? What was wrong, wasn't he the kind to get excited for things like this? Shouldn't he be fighting with a damn grin plastered on his face and a maddened chortle behind his gullet? But, then he remembered, the runts, they sped away even further, the sharingan ever slipping. He was concerned for them, that he was too powerful. Damn, he really needed that for his research. Then again, looking at Naruto, and the fight he could give, perhaps a new vessel was not to be found in an Uchiha, but maybe in this young Uzimaki.

Naruto lifted his saw cleaver, slashing down.

"Suta Suraisa!" Came his graveled voice as a torrent of red came slashing down. Orochimaru used kimiwari, glancing away just in time, that miasma of slashing crimson still pierced through the bark and wood, biting deep even into the ground. The tree was struck at the base, the roots cleaved, and so it began to fall with its limbs, a great creak of timber as it crashed down and across the forest floor.

Naruto leapt off, gathering Reiatsu under his feet, staying in the air.

"Such a neat trick! Naruto-kun~ What kind of ninjutsu is that! I! Must! _Know!_ " Orochimaru yelled from below, grinning madly. "No Chakra, spiritual power only. Now please, die." Naruto told, swinging out another slash of Reiatsu. Orochimaru dodged, speeding away on the tree tops.

With a shunpo, he got close enough and shot out three Burasuto, yet the man had just only evaded, throwing kunai too close for the blond to dodge. They sunk in, but he shook them off, finally settling for a glare, waiting for his next move against the snake man.

"A'fraid can't do that~" The pale man sang back to Naruto. He let the scorched palm of his hand sprout fingers once more, and, biting his thumb a moment later, slapping his hands against the tree trunk. Orochimaru felt the familiar rush of air as he was risen above the tree tops, the heavy gushes of smoke brilling out like volcanic dust spewed from its depths of fire.

The smoke rolled away, and Naruto bite his statement before about snakes. By far, this one was far larger, like a Chimera, a Kaiju of epic proportions. A single eye was several times bigger that his head, and the fangs beneath were at least at long as he was tall. A frightening beast, a sinister purple veil of scales wrapping its enormous form.

Arms crossed, Orochimaru waited for the boys reaction, a grin on his face.

Naruto's expression didn't change, instead, he let his Hocho o Mimashita be sheathed and wrapped, he even put his Dojina Hito, that blunderbuss like weapon, up in his trench coat. Confused, Orochimaru wondered if the boy was throwing in the towel after seeing his summon.

He was severely misled.

Naruto lifted his hands up, forming a box with his digits over his right eye. That orb of blue crawled and swarmed scarlet, the pupil splitting just like the other. His lips split to speak, those horrid razors seeming to rent the air as he drew breath. And then, all hell broke loose.

" **Deddo Seishin Kai!"**

With those terrible and great words crashing down against the sky, coming out in a howl of torrid words, a black mass exploded from underneath the crimson trench coat, covering the lad completely like thick hot tar, bubbling and writhing in what looked like agony, the forms of beast and man twisting beneath in great torment. The black miasma shot up and out, seething from what sounded like thousands of lost souls, wailing from a mesh of entwined cries, all screaming out horrid rasps as if they came from hell itself!

It morphed, twisting in and around itself, forming the enormous head of a fox, having several eyes lines and atop one another in splittingly deadly glare of angry red, pinioning not just Orochimaru, but the Kaiju snake he stood upon too, unable to move admits the madness that had found form, just one of its large gnawing fangs larger than Orochimaru was tall, a single eye larger than one of those huge shurikens. The whole of it body was also fox-like, yet only pertaining a single tail. It howled out those thousands of wailing cries, shooting a chill down both of its enemies spines.

It bound after them.

Black paws struck the air as it sprinted, crashing into the giant snake, knocking it down from its high perch. The beast didn't wait for even a single purple scale to touch the ground before it began grappling with the enormous snake, jaws clenching over taught muscle and hardened skin. Razor teeth sunk deep, blood beginning to pour out like a gush from a gaiser. The snake hissed out as it felt a fiery pain wrench its lungs.

Orochimaru dared not leave Manda to the beast, knowing he would have just as much luck as his summon, and instead formed the hand-signs. He leaped from his perch, fingers formed into a rigid claw as lightning arced between his digits, sparking about with fury. That lightning release met true to the beasts temple, the Chakra element slipping between its mountainous flesh, burning and charring what was already black as pitch.

It released its strangle hold to the snake, swiping out at the man instead. With a shunshin, the pale man dodged, once more atop his summon. He commanded and it swung out its mighty jaws, snapping over the beast's neck, wrenching and curling over its form. The burn from its earlier assault however left it weaker, and the beast twisted about, snapping its fangs back into the flesh of the snake.

They gripped each other in that deathly grapple for a minute, the great breath of both Chimera-although like that of gusting gales-was beginning to come out shorter and shorter, as they felt their air slowly chop up and slow to dull gasps. Orochimaru could not necessarily help his summon, trying to use any ninjutsu attack would harm his snake-who was a very useful tool in the first place-and so opted to wait as death seemed to encroach upon the two.

Dark and scarlet slitted eyes began to loosen, the two and many orbs of the death machines beginning to fall. Out of some last resort, the fox like beast twisted its head, renting the large summons scales and flesh, forcing it to relinquish its hold as scarlet erupted from its side. A hiss of pain erupted from it, although finally free itself, and fell back, sprawled out before poofing away from its summoner.

The black abyss that the fox had been suddenly unraveled itself from the outside to in, both creatures sudden disappearance leaving the ground for a good few miles bare, trodden and scarred from the great beasts tumble. All that was left were the two figures, a ghostly white with purple contrasted by the harsh crimson and black.

Naruto had the worst of it, his clothes all torn, threadbare and nearly gone. His skin was gnarled and scratched, gashes lining his entire form. They stared each other down however, slitted scarlet glaring down at a baleful golden, both waiting for the other to make a move. Naruto reached for his Hocho o Mimashita, already saying the words.

"Suta! Suraisa!" His voice cracked out like a whip, rough as a graveled road.

What came of it was a slow, pitiful, streak of pale crimson, easily dodged by the snake man. In the end of that attak, Naruto fell to his knees, his legs no longer able to support him, buckled beneath his injuries, his lack of Reiatsu leaving him bare of regeneration. He was all helpless and out of breath.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha," a hardy laugh broke the silence between them, coming from the pale snake man as his feet drew him closer to the fallen young blond who fought so valiantly. "can your strength not gather boy? Isn't there one more feat of power within you? Come now! Shout at me, scream bloody murder and wrap yourself in that _Reishi_! Is that not what the hero's do?!" His shout trilled, a chuckle of triumph behind it.

No response.

Orochimaru frowned, expecting another round out of the boy, but was disappointed as he fell on his face, a sharp smack of bone and skin against the earth. Instead of killing him, he saw that same potential for a vessel-that he saw in Sasuke-nontheless, tossing him a heaven scroll. If he was to have Naruto at his toughest, he'd have to get him into the rest of the chunin exams, knowing he'd pass and get tougher mission's, strengthening him until Orochimaru decided to use him.

He turned away, not giving him the curse mark-who knew how it would affect the lad with that strange energy, it only being tested with only Chakra-and left.

Naruto heard the subtle sound of a shunshin, and finally relaxed. He let his body begin to absorb any surrounding Reiatsu, as to allow his regeneration. He'd rather not let the man notice him getting back up and kill him as he did so, the process not very fast in the first place. It took some time, to add the spiritual particles to his own Reiyuko, but it did the job, restoring him to at least a quarter of strength. It was far more then enough to stand and get to the tower, far more than enough to get home.

Sasuke and Sakura were at his sides, helping the larger team-mate to his feet. When he was securely on the ground, after stumbling a bit, he finally let his taxed body relax. He placed his saw cleaver on his back, its wraps sheathing the zanpakuto completely to him. The blond breathed in, and breathed out, sore as sore could be, the majority of his wounds sealed over, the more tedious and harmful ones getting there.

"Thanks guys." He told, picking up the heaven scroll. He grabbed them too, and used shunpo, flash stepping to the tower guarded from the creatures that abound the forest around it. He arrived, minutes later, finding them to be the first there. They found out that they could now open the scrolls, and doing so found out that, once more, through a summoned Iruka, that they would have yet another test.

Later, Naruto and the rest stood atop cement walks, guard rails keeping them bordered against the arena below. Off to the side and below, the Hokage and a few others stood, ready to watch the preliminary rounds. The blond was a bit angry however, because they would have another bout of fights after that, the actual last and final test, and only _then_ could they pass.

So many steps!

He watched in silent patience however, as the fights went on, the digital board off and set to the side wall telling who would be fighting who. Choji fought a guy from sound, Shikamaru did the same, Sakura and Ino fought-with much gusto to Naruto's amusment-resulting in Sakura winning. All the fights were very good, and some were inspiring, such as when Sasuke battles a guy from sound just as well-winning the bout with a copied move from Lee.

All the fights were good, well fought, but it was when that Lee fellow went against Gaara that really took the cake. He was using weights, and when he finally took them off, was faster than Naruto could have ever anticipated. Faster than most eye could follow-except Naruto, Jiji and the Jonins, they could _just_ about see it coming.

Even with all those tricks up his sleeves-and ankles-Gaara's sand finally caught him. Naruto watched as the boys arm and leg were about to be crushed.

"Suta Suraisa!"

Red slashed the sand in twine, nearly taking the taijutsu user's limbs off anyway, making the ground shutter and the cement board walks to shake with the power. Naruto quickly used shunpo, flash-stepping down to Lee and back up to the rest of his team. When the boy was safe, he pointed down towards Gaara of the desert.

"Hey! This is only a preliminary! Crushing someone's bones here is excessive, at least wait 'till the actual bouts!" He bellowed, eyes flashing scarlet, seething with fury. He may not know Lee well, but he couldn't watch the boy suffer, he didn't deserve that, after putting in so much effort. Gaara, however aloof he was, showed some emotion.

A glint of madness glared back up at Naruto.

"You wanna fight boi?!" Naruto yelled.

Sand wafted around like a blanket, swaying much like a snake ready to strike. Naruto lifted his arm high, ready to slash away the boy below. "Suta! Sur-" His words were haltered by a single strong hand grabbing his arm. This time, his eyes stayed crimson slits as he glared back at whoever dared stop him. He was a slight surprised to find an older looking Lee, with somehow bushier brows.

"This is not very youthful! I thank you for assisting my student and keeping from getting his bones broken! But, please leave!" Gai bellowed, not truly angry, more stoic than anything-despite his strange way of speaking.

Naruto's arms was released, and he looked to Jiji.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but, stopping a bout, and about to attack another genin without being in the fight-"

"-I'm sorry Jiji, I know I'm disqualified." His voice was somehow even, and calm. "I will leave, because you told me so, forgive me for almost causing a larger problem." He turned, and began to walk away, the whole of the place silent as the grave itself, as if a single word uttered was to be for death's opening strike.

He passed Hinata, her brows knit in concern for him, but he did not say a word to her. But when he came to Kiba's side, he spoke quickly and quietly. _"Hey, make sure she's wins her fight, inspire her man, she needs it. And you best not lose either."_ He told, his expression blank, without rancor or emotion. When he passed his team-mates, when everyone was behind him and he was about to exit, he threw back one thing for them all to hear.

"Konoha rookie nine! Go kick some ass!"

These words were filled with rancor! These words were for them, his team-mates, his village's fellow ninja, to hear, to inspire them with the ferocity of the very roughness of his voice! And yet...as swiftly as he shouted those words, he left, leaving them numb. He left without a fight, despite carrying his team so close to victory, he left with no argument. He gave up getting closer to Hokage, just so his team would not suffer from his decision, he left to inspire them all.

Naruto arrived back home, just before the door, his heart heavy. He had to do what he had done, otherwise, fighting outside the rules might have resulted in war, and he didn't want that. Why would he? Even if they had allowed him to stay, the village of sand would despise Konoha for allowing an exception to the rule, and it would accost them dearly. So, by giving up a step towards becoming Hokage, giving a piece of his dream up for the welfare of everyone, he was brought back to square one, even if he was doing something good in his heart. He knew Lee worked hard, having no Chakra, and felt like he and Lee were similar. They both had to claw and scrape for the strength they had, they both had a few people who cared for them to help them in that aspect. So, to see Lee, someone in a similar circumstance, have his dream of being a great ninja be crushed-like his arm and leg would have been-would be the same if he were to be crippled just the same.

 _Sacrifice,_ Naruto reminded himself, _that's what makes a great ninja, sacrificing ones own dream for the sake of another's._

When he finally put his hand to the handle, turning the piece of metal, he came to the sight that crushed him. Rangiku was atop Soi-Fon, both were against one another, throwing themselves at each other, oblivious to the young lad. Naruto felt his chest become hollow-like, empty, as he stared on, his eyes becoming hard steel.

 _Creak-_ went the floor beneath his feet, snapping the two woman's attention from one another to him. For a moment, no one said a word, all was unmoving, all was but a silent world against the hand of a shushing god. Then, he-the blond lad with all his stoicness-ran his thumb across his parted razor fangs, flicking a droplet into the petite woman's mouth, hung ajar from the surprise. She gagged when it hit her throat, swallowing it without thought.

"Your ribs seem fine now, I release you, familiar."

He turned away, stepping out of the apartment. He didn't even slam the door, he just, shut it, almost quietly. Had that really been Naruto? How! My god! How could someone with so much life and vibrance walk in, like a ghost, a silent wraith?! How could someone with such passion, have such a dead voice! A grave built from his gullet it seemed, as if much of those words came from dead lips not meant to speak, tongue from that of an ancient sorrow?!

How could he be a silent dead, when he was filled with so much life?

Rangiku snapped out of it, nearly tripping over her own rushing feet, so much fear tolling the bell of dread in her heart. She nearly ripped the door from its very hinges when she got to it, her eyes wide like a doe caught in head-lights as she tried to look for her Naruto.

He was no where in sight.

She was about to go and try to explain to him what she planned, she was going to show that she loved him more than he knew, that she'd be willing to make him happier. But it back fired, her idea of getting him there with her and Soi-Fon drove him away. Why didn't she say anything! Maybe then he would not have flown away on those swift flash-stepping feet!

Anger for her own stupidity made her knuckles white, tears beginning to form. Was all that effort, all the training, and getting to know each other, for nothing but broken hearted people, such as them? Couldn't she just explain to him what her intentions were? She was sure he would understand and. . .and-

"Rangiku-san, you're bleeding." Soi-Fon came behind her, pulling her back into the apartment.

The orange haired lass felt her teary gaze fall to her scarlet dripping palms. Was she so furious with herself that she did this? But, even as Soi-Fon began cleaning them and wrapping them, she found she didn't care if they bled out or not, all she wanted to do was find Naruto.

"I know why now, I see why you love him." The captain told, eyes focused on dressing the self inflicted wound. "Most men would have jumped at such an opportunity, but he did not. He left, cheated on. He didn't even say anything against it, he just left. I see now, why you love that young man." Here, she tied off the wrapping's, her soft and saddened gaze lifting towards Rangiku's.

"He is an honorable man."

Rangiku wanted nothing more than to cry from Soi-Fon's words, she wanted to wail out as tears streamed down her face. She wanted to cry for hours, as she hurt inside for doing that to the young man. She wanted to tell him sorry, she wanted him to know that he could be with her and others if he wanted, she wanted to make him the happiest man alive, and to never let him go.

She did all but that last thing, wailing and letting herself cry into the shoulder of Soi-Fon.

A few hours went by since the preliminaries, and one Anko Mitarashi was feeling stressed. How could she not, having faced her former sensei, and the curse mark activating before she could truly try to finish the man off. She hated him so much for what he did, but even her fury could not help her against the pain of the accursed thing.

So, where did she go? To the pub, of course. She and her best bud-Kuranai-would come here all the time, take a few-or a lot for Anko-drinks. But, her friend decided that today they would not be relaxing together, instead the genjutsu user would be helping her students, somehow, all of them passing. It was a surprising upset when Hinata actually won against her cousin, Neji. What was more so, was that it was Kiba who shouted down from the ranks, inspiring her to keep going, despite the majority of her body numb from the cousin's use of the byakugan.

Anko waved the thought off. She didn't need a drinking buddy to make her after noon good, no, she'd have a _great_ afternoon without Kuranai! She would drink some guy under and get money from the bets. She could imagine it now, some poor sap betting she could be bested and be brought under the table. Then, she got the money from the past-out drunks wallet.

The Mitarashi came through the doors and found herself staring at the back of that Naruto fellow. He was drinking heavily, whiskey and rum, he didn't care, he'd slap the money down on the counter, and chug whatever was there for him to drink.

Anko sat down by him, seeing that the boy was down in a rut.

"Hey, the disqualification gett'in to you that bad? It'll be alright, ya got next year! Datteba-" Her words meant to help him were dried up and bitten off when he turned to face her, his tinted goggles off, showing little silent tears drip off his chin. A mental curse left her mind as she realized that it was something else entirely.

"Hey man, what's wrong?" She asked, concern drawn across her face. Usually, if it was a close friend, she would have smacked them, got them over it, but she didn't know Naruto well enough to do that, recognizing that her words would hinder rather than help. So, she opted to listen to him.

"This girl I've been with for a while now, I-I came home, and she was on the couch with, with someone we let in our house." His voice dropped, pain in his voice. He knew he and the Kyuubi had done the deed once, but she forced herself on him, and he couldn't do anything, but to come home and see Rangiku willingly doing that was something else entirely. Anko responded with-

"-did ya kill the bastard that-"

"-it was a woman, and I left without them saying a word."

"Oh." Her eyes widened to dinner plates. Damn, that _was_ bad, getting cheated on by a guy was one thing, but a woman? That was just adding insult to injury. Anko felt sorry for him, and without thought, placed an arm around him. He froze up from her touch, but eventually, he relaxed into it. He didn't cry, he didn't weep, he was silent, ungiving in what happened. His tears did not make a sound as they ran down his cheeks. Anko held him, in that bar, for a long while, and eventually, they left, taking him to her apartment across town.

When they got inside, she directed him to the couch, almost forcing him into her lap as she comforted him. All of that night, they stayed like that, Naruto falling asleep on her thighs. Anko dare not remove him, or shift, knowing he was going through something a young lad like him-as good intentioned as he was-was experiencing. She couldn't say for sure or not, but she almost heard him sigh when she placed a hand on his back, just before sleep took her too.

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys, sorry for the sap at the end, but, this helps the harem, believe it or not, because now Naruto will have the opportunity to meet more than just the three already introduced. Have faith and please do not underestimate the lad, even badass people feel sorrow, for instance about Zabuza, he cried when Haku died, and he killed all his-about a hundred trained-classmates, just to prove he was the best.**

 **Naruto's coolness will continue next chapter, his tears will begone, and a certain trip will ensue to meet another woman for him to meet. The harem will continue, and be brought together, don't fret!**

 **Also, since I've left you all with such sap, I've decided to leave a little bit of what Aizen is doing after these author notes. Its only meant to be funny and to alleviate you from all the sap you experienced.**

 **So, here is what the man-wishing to be a god-is doing, from Ulquirra's perspective.**

Ulquirra Cifer had been summoned to Aizen's throne room, by the very man himself. He had been late getting there, having been in the dunes of the white sanded world of Hueco Mundo, but he spammed sonido and sped here as fast as he possibly could. Supposedly, he could finally show his second resureccion to the man he saw as sama. He had been waiting for that for a long time.

He opened the large door to the room itself, stepping inside with that stoic blankness to his emerald scarlet gaze.

He was, however, a bit surprised to find the man asleep, the hokyoko on a small table by his side. He heard the man mutter, but could not here it at first, so he stepped closer. It was then, that confusion drew up across the normally blank and expressionless Ulquirra, as Aizen spoke through his waiting induced slumber.

"First. . .immortality, then, the bitches."

Ulquirra left without a word, deciding that those words must have been the very plan from the beginning, trusting the mans genius.

 **A/N**

 **Ha ha ha ha! Have a great day guys!**

 **:^)**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Accursed Filler

Anko Mitarashi woke up to the smell of bacon, and eggs, and-wait. Was that, was that the subtle smell of...

"Dango."

Her eyes snapped open, her hungry mouth watering a slight. She looked about, and in her kitchen, spotted Naruto.

At her stove.

Cooking.

Naruto was cooking.

"Sweep baby momma gonna get her some breakfast." Her words came out as quick as her feet, springing off the couch and leaping into the kitchen. When she reached the stove, she was slapped in the face by a spatula.

"Bad girl." Came his half-hearted warning as he flipped the eggs and bacon. But, he held out a stick of dango for her. She silently forgave him for the slap and began to gnaw on the stick of her favorite food. Her eyes widened, and she nearly fell on the floor.

"Ish sho good!" She yelled with the mouthful of food.

"Ya, I know, just thought ta be nice to ya after letting me sleep here for the night, it's the least I could do, I'll pay for the groceries if you don't mind." He told, still holding the stick out for her to eat the dango off of. She finished and threw her arms over his chest, behind him. Her breasts pressed against his back-but to her surprise-he didn't make a move to get her off, instead, he continued to check and flip what was sizzling in the pan.

"You know," she whispered in his ear, "you'd make a great house-wife." She teased.

"Oh really? I guess you can't cook for yourself then." He teased right back, making her frown a slight.

"Ah, don't be so mean..." She pouted.

Naruto gave a chortle. He was still...angry about what happened last night, and decided to just stay away for awhile, at least until he could talk to Rangiku again. But, he pushed those thoughts to the side, and settled for talking with Anko.

"So, you won't mind me staying here for a little bit, won't you?"

"You gonna pay rent."

"In dango."

"Hm. . .make this a more, 'beneficial,' stay, and deal."

Her hands began to move back up his chest, and to his shoulders. Those slim hands slid down the side of his back, and towards his sides. Before she could go any further, he turned about, throwing eggs and bacon on a plate behind her. He threw the pan in the sink, along with the spatula, and began walking towards the door, grabbing his trench coat, fedora, tinted goggles, and Hocho o Mimashita on the way.

At the open door, he looked back on her.

"Hey, lets just make it good food and the like, I'd rather get some of the issues in that part of life straightened out before we go 'a knock'in boots."

And he left, closing the door behind him.

Anko had wide eyes, brows knit and confused. Did he just. . .cock block himself? Could he even do that? Could a guy do that? She looked into the window, and saw her reflection. She still, as ever, had those curves that made men in the village look twice. Although her chest wasn't back breakingly large, it however was larger than most, her hips the same way, a strong curve of flesh. Her belly was smooth, and her legs dipped just right.

But he walked away like that? Without a second glance?

Hell no.

Not like that.

She wouldn't allow such and indignity to her womanly charms, she'd go after him now, she'd at least get a blush or something of the like out of him. In her mind, that was her mission, and after the Hokage gave her a leave due to the brief meeting of her former sensei, she could with out a doubt pull it off. Downing her eggs, bacon, and beloved dango, the Mitarashi left, opening the door to follow him.

"Naru-oh, sorry, wrong house."

"Wha..."

Anko took a pause, slowing down a moment. Just as she opened the door to follow him, she found a woman with long and-god blessed they were luscious-orange hair. Her bright blue eyes shined, and her civilian clothes, yellow top with a pink skirt, the second thing to come to her mind. The first thing-after the hair-was her large, very firm. . .damn there was no beating around the bush about it, she had larger breasts than her. Maybe even a certain Sannins.

"Wait," her mind back tracked, "you're looking for Naruto, aren't you?"

She nodded.

". . .why.?" She asked, her suspicions getting to her.

"I...me and him are dating and-"

"Ah, so _you're_ the one who cheated on him, I figured." Anko felt a bit angry, actually meeting this lady made her pretty pissed. She was the one who made Naruto so. . .upset wasn't the right word, nor was he necessarily angry, just, he was putting up a wall, and it wasn't right for him to do that, he was always happy, or at least, tried to make others happy. But this woman, she was the cause of him being so distant lately.

Rangiku found she did not like this woman's words what so ever.

"I wasn't cheating on him." She insisted, almost seething.

"Ya, laying on top another woman and making out ain't cheat'in." Anko shot back.

Both began a war of glares, brows furrowed, waiting for the other to lift a fist or something of the like. In the end, Anko scoffed, and turned away, closing her door behind her as she began making her way down the street to the Hokages office. She gave a backwards glance and shouted back at the woman.

"At least leave him alone for a bit before ya go talk to him!"

And then she left.

Rangiku still stood there, fuming in indignant anger. She followed his Reishi here, stifling through the different ones around until she came here. Rangiku _had_ intended to tell him the truth and take him back with her. She had figured he'd understand and know what she meant to do. But, something gnawed at her from that Anko ladies words. Was she right, should she just wait until he was ready, and then tell him she wanted to make him happier, was that what was the right thing to do?

In the end, she resigned to listen to the Mitarashi's words.

Naruto stood in front of the Hokage, the old man sitting behind his desk with a scroll in hand and a bird perched atop his other. The old man nudged it and sent the hawk away, and threw the scroll to Naruto. The blond caught it, and turned it over in his hands, recognizing the symbol for the land of lightning, and one he didn't know.

"A mission, specifically to me?" He asked, a bit curious.

A wise nod and Jiji said, "this is actually from the Raikage himself, A."

Naruto's eyes widened a slight, for just a moment. He tore the seal off and opened the scroll, reading down what was written. He closed the seal, and looked back up to Sarutobi, whose face was a riddle of curiosity.

"Its a formal invitation to race him." Naruto dead-panned.

The Hokage's brows lifted high.

"Really? He wouldn't just challenge anyone Naruto, he is the self-declared 'fastest man alive.' And he lives up to that." Although he tried to keep his face stern, and his voice even, he couldn't deny the surprise he had.

Naruto stashed the scroll away in the dark folds of his trench coat, and set his gaze back up towards Jiji.

"I accept."

The old man nodded, but informed Naruto in his more stoic voice of his that he'd have to bring along a Jonin, in the case that the village hidden in the clouds decided they would take Naruto.

"Wouldn't I need more, I'm a genin, after all." His voice hit a hard stone then.

"Naruto, you may not have the words chunin or jonin written as your status, but I know what happened between you and Zabuza, and what happened in the woods with my former...student. You have by far the fastest growth a genin could have, and only a few have gotten as strong as you so quickly. I believe more than one would be excessive."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders.

"So, who are you taking as a jonin, hm? You can take any of the ones that aren't training students for-"

"-I'll go!"

Sarutobi nearly had a heart attack when Anko appeared through the open window, grinning wildly between Naruto and the Hokage himself. With a hand to his chest, Sarutobi took deep breathes in, and deep breathes out, realizing he was getting too old for these kind of scares. He took a calming glance at the woman, and told her she would have to behave herself.

"Oh between me and Naruto, what kind of trouble could we get into?"

"..."

"..."

"Oh lighten up you two! I ain't gonna start a war!"

"..."

"..."

"Fine, fine, I'm headed towards the gate, I promise I won't cause a ruckus."

And with that, Anko exited the window.

Sarutobi placed a hand on his face, trying to keep himself from losing his temper. He tilted his head to Naruto, who agreed to go with her, and sighed. He would need some sake soon, he really just needed a break.

Rangiku was back at the Naruto's apartment, sulking over herself. Soi-Fon came by and put a hand on her shoulder, asking how it went. Rangiku merely moaned in frustration. "Did you explain to him why-"

"-he wasn't there."

Soi-Fon frowned, and decided to sit by her. Her hand shifted to the woman's back, sliding up and down to comfort her. "I think he wants to have distance, for some time, do you think that will help?" Rangiku found herself say. "It would be best, and then maybe you can find your voice and tell him what you had intended."

Rangiku's head tilted towards her friend-at least what she thought they were-and nodded. "I think he's gonna go on a mission for that Hokage of his." She told, leaning into the petite woman. "Really? Hm...so, how long will he be gone."

"Don't know." Was Rangiku's reply as she drew her blue gaze up to Soi-Fon's darker one. The orange haired lass leaned into Soi-Fon, their temples touching. A dark blush drew up across the petite woman's cheeks, but she did not avert her eyes from the curvier woman's soft gaze.

"Y-you know I never said I w-wanted to volunteer for helping you with this." She stuttered out.

"Soi-Fon, I know you like it, don't lie. Plus, we might be able to get _Yoruichi_ into this too, they are both a lot alike~" Rangiku told, making Soi-Fon stop, thinking about it. It was true, both Naruto and the queen of the flash-step were both similar. Both didn't want to follow the way things were, both always enjoyed being cheeky most of the time. And, advantage to her, she could get closer to her former teacher, and maybe even more so.

Rangiku smirked a slight as Soi-Fon tipped her head back and leaned into a gentle kiss, seemingly agreeing with the prospect. When she pulled her head back, both their heads thick with renewed vigor, she began to nod fervently. Rangiku smiled with joy, and got up.

"Alright, then I guess we're gonna go on a little escapade, get your stuff together, 'cause we are going to get Naruto back, but first, we have to meet a little black cat before we leave."

As Soi-Fon looked on at Rangiku, she decided that the orange haired lass had the largest grin she had ever seen-except for Naruto's of course.

The blond Jinjuriki himself was leaping through the tree tops with Anko by him. They had been going on through the trees for some time, leaping on through at a very steady pace. The sun-he could see-was just in the middle of the sky, telling them that they had a few hours to go before the reached the border before night fall.

His blue eyes slid to the side, peering at Anko for a moment. He kinda had a good idea why she came, the woman wanting to get, 'in his pants,' as it were. Or, maybe not, he didn't know for sure, but had that inkling that she was going to try tonight. If anything, he would gladly accept that, and do that with her, but that would be hypocritical of himself. Rangiku had done just the same, and by sleeping with Anko, he'd do the same. So, he kept himself from doing so, knowing how wrong it'd be.

That is to say that he didn't think she was pretty-by no means-she was in fact very beautiful, in her way.

With his thoughts out of the way, Naruto struck up a conversation with his companion. "So, what is lightning country like?" He asked, getting her attention.

"Very cloudy, its Raikage supposedly the third or so down the line of his villages kages to be called 'Raikage.' But, its nice, we've even traded another tailed beast with them, but recently, they've done some crappy things."

"Like what?"

"Meh, tried taking the byakugan, and the nine tails. But, its been a while since then, so if this mission goes well, relations between our villages might be better."

Naruto nearly tripped over a branch.

"Really! So this race I'll have with the Raikage, it really _is_ important huh?"

"Yep! So you better lose trying your hardest or win with a humble bow, 'cause that man does not like sore-winners." She told, a grin on her face.

"So, the entire relation between us and another village-"

"Is riding on your shoulders! So don't cause a war Naruto!" She yelled back, as if the prospect was funny.

Naruto looked ahead and mumbled under his breath-

"Well shit."

 **Hey guys! Sorry for the short chapter, this was basically a bit of filler, so again, sorry. All this chapter I just wanted the reader know that Naruto isn't gonna mope around because his lady did what she did, he ain't gonna let it get to him. But I also wanted to show Rangiku was taking initiative towards healing the wound she caused him, that bit of betrayal. So, again, Naruto will have his harem, and since the two ladies are gonna get a certain queen of flash-step, it will make it all the more interesting.**

 **Also, you know how guys constantly go after pretty girls? Well Anko's kinda a hound dog when it comes to that same thing, except she won't go about and cheat on Naruto-by no means-because he can keep the woman entertained, interesting her to such a peak.**

 **Alright, with that done, you guys have a good day!**

 **:^)**

 **Also he won't say 'boi' anymore :^X**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The Truth

Night had crawled over the land after several hours of tree hopping, the moon soon rising with its wake. The two shinobi decided it was best to take a rest and begin early in the morning, to make their journey towards the village hidden in the clouds. Anko decided to set up a small sleeping bag. Naruto however decided to choose an unconventional method of sleeping arrangements.

Naruto lay curled up in a hammock made of the familiar's he's killed. It was nice, you know, laying in the captured souls. They were soft, surprisingly, and with naught but a command, he could manifest them in whichever shape or form he wished.

Useful things, familiar's.

But, as night rolled on and the dark sky his only thing to look out to, he began to let his thoughts drift towards Rangiku, that woman he came to find something like a spark of love in. He remembered the first time they met, in that forest, both fighting that hollow who came out of no where. He remembered a lot of things about how they spent their time together, though she was lazy, she was good at heart.

Though, no matter what, he couldn't get the image out of his mind, of Rangiku cheating on him.

He tried to remember and keep his mind steeled to what it was before that, but his mind would always drift back to that scene. Naruto wasn't mad at Soi-Fon, not really, but he couldn't quite know how to feel about what he saw. The guy part of his mind wanted to shout at him and tell him that he should have gone in and joined, if it was that. But he rejected the thought, thinking in that 'honorable' mind of his that she wouldn't do that, that she was just cheating.

How wrong he was.

Naruto eventually just shook his head, keeping his mind off of the image, wiping it from his mind. He shifted in the hammock and closed his eyes, hoping sleep would keep him from thinking anymore. A few minutes more, and he fell into a deep sleep.

In that same moment, Rangiku, and Soi-Fon, who were both in full shinigami attire, were making their way towards Yoruichi's place. They had left the gate for the Seireitei a few moments before, already making their way towards her little house, in high hopes the woman would come back with them. Rangiku was unsure if Yoruichi would accept the offer, or if she would want to be in such a way with Naruto and them. But, she was determined to make it up to Naruto after what she had done, even if this was counter intuitive. She didn't care if it were wrong, she just wanted him to be happy.

When finally they made there way to her house, when they stood before its threshold, a feeling of anxiety began to etch through them, gnawing at them. What if they were just kicked out, when telling the queen of the flash-step, their plan? What if they were unable to do what they were setting themselves to do? What if Naruto still rejected her, and _hated_ her for what she had done?

That one tripped Rangiku up the most.

But before they could chicken out, the door swung ajar, nearly scaring them off. Before them was Yoruichi, her sandled feet just before the edge of the door. She placed a hand on her black spandex like pants, curvy hips swayed to the side. She lifted and adjusted the sleeve on her orange robe-like top. Her unoccupied hand came to rest the side of her violet haired head with her elbow against the door frame, a pony-tail hanging it in the back with bangs framing her bright shinning eyes and smile.

"What can I owe the pleasure of having you two show up at my place? Surly it can't be a silly business meeting?"

They didn't reply, so she beckoned them in, offering tea that they gladly took. When all settled down, and they could relax, Yoruichi asked why they had come to her home. The two schemers looked between one another, but Rangiku was the one to speak first.

"There's this guy that we think you would like to meet." She told, her voice confident as she looked into the dark eyes of Yoruichi. Those dark eyes of the queen seemed to shift from between them, as if she was trying to figure out the meaning of those words of hers. The orange haired lass was about to speak up again when Yoruichi finally asked-

"-who is he?"

With that set of interest in her eyes-that which both timid and confident woman could see-Rangiku responded, setting the bait and hook. "He's someone who might be a challenge to you and your shunpo."

"Really?" Her interest was peaked, taking the bait, and Soi-Fon decided it was time to reel her in.

"He beat me in a fight fairly with ease, I could not follow his movements very well when he moved."

Yoruichi's brows raised to her hair at that, surprised that someone could escape her former students pensive eyes. She stood, a grin on her face, a glint and fire waving behind those dark eyes of hers. As they shone brightly, and with Yoruichi caught up by the line, Rangiku told where they were going, only interesting her even further.

With that, they left for the shinobi world.

Naruto woke up with a weight over him, and even before he opened his eyes, he knew who it was. There, laying atop him, was the purple haired konoichi Anko Mitarashi, her sleeping bag still on the ground. She was sleeping soundly, her face buried into his broad chest. Her back seemed to rise and fall with even breathes, so relaxed cuddled up to him. Naruto wanted to shake her awake, he wanted to get moving, seeing as the sun would soon be rising, but, he found that he couldn't do that, especially when her face came up to bare, her cheek rubbing the side of his chest.

He opted to let her sleep instead, sliding his hands up to her back, giving a slight rub to it. What nearly sounded like a purr came out of the snake user, and with an errant thought, made a blanket with the familiars. They stretched over and laid atop them, making the hammock a near cocoon, with only their heads left in the open. A gracious smile spread like butter on her face, and her arms encircled the young man.

Naruto let himself lean back his head and relax, enjoying this feeling, to just hold someone again. His mind flashed to the many a time he and Rangiku would do this, though the position was reversed, with his head to her chest. But, he didn't care, it was just something that he missed, and now, for at least until the twinkling of the sun's warm rays flittered through the canopy above, he could enjoy it.

Eventually, the time came when she stirred, waking from her pleasant slumber. Her eyes fluttered open to the sight of Naruto, staring up into the trees, a gentle look about him. She liked that, seeing him content. His eyes fell to her, and Anko nearly jumped as he placed a hand to her cheek.

"-edy to go?"

"Wha..." She blinked, feeling herself come back to reality.

"I asked if you were ready to go?" He reiterated.

"Oh, uh, ya."

No one moved.

". . .sorry." she told, moving her face away as she stood, keeping his sharp eyes from seeing the flush of red on her face. When Anko hopped off, he retracted his familiars back in his trench-coat. Anko moved to grab her sleeping bag, trying to face away from Naruto. She gathered it up, sealing it away, still bent down, feeling her blush creep away, leaving her cheeks so that they were once more back to normal.

When she turned, Naruto had a strange look on his face, a brow raised to her, but before she could ask why, he said-

"-you need a belt..."

"Why?" Was her question. Of all things, why would she need a belt? She wore a skirt, granted with _belt_ loops, but still. That look remained on his face, but it shifted, like he was unsure to tell her something. However, when he did, her face flushed deeper than before.

"You were about to moon me."

"WHAT!" She screamed, clutching the rear of her skirt. She pointed at him, as if she was trying to accuse him of something, but he waved a hand to her.

"Na uh, you can't say anything bad. If I say you had a nice butt I lose, if I said you need to cover it up, I lose. But since I told you to get a belt, I keep you from being exposed in front of many people who might black mail you with it, which is my win, but I get caught staring, which is a lose for me again." He paused, watching her finger begin to fall.

"So no matter what, I lose, even if I had or have good intentions."

Her finger fell completely, and felt the fire of resistance sputter out. But, she wouldn't allow that, she wouldn't allow such a thing to go unpunished regardless. Even if he were, by his words, right. So, instead of yelling and being angry with him, she went with it, letting her face soften and a innocent gleam to cover her eyes.

"So, you liked what you saw~"

A twitch came to his eye, and Naruto had to keep himself from slamming his head to one of the trees. He thought she was very pretty, sexy even, but he had to keep himself in control. _Oh come now Naruto~_ Kyuubi's voice came through his thoughts, making him pinch the bridge of his nose. _Just for once, give in, get back at 'her' for once, just give in to it._

He ignored the sweet sounds of honey that was his tailed beasts voice.

 _Or, would you rather be pulled in here, with me? I can accommodate you again~_

 _ **THWAK!**_

Naruto finally did it, snapping his head right into the closest tree, ripping its wooden fibers apart as it began to fall. With a great crash did it make, and Naruto leaned his head back, fists clenched. Anko became sheepish, unable to see his face, unable to tell what he was going to do next, his still form like a wraith. She jumped a little when his head snapped to her, a dead-pan expression riddling it.

"No," he began, "more," he finished.

Anko imagined she looked like a doe right now, eyes wide and skidish from that glare. Naruto turned away and flash-stepped up to above the trees, standing in the air.

"Lets get underway! We wasted time!" He shouted back down.

Anko snapped out of it after that, running up the side of one of the trees as they made their way to their destination.

Rangiku, Soi-Fon, and Yoruichi stood before the aged face of Sarutobi, waiting for him to answer their question. They had asked the man where Naruto was, and he seemed to have a gleam in his eye after that, his eyes regarding Rangiku and the others with scrutiny. She hoped the Hokage would allow them to go after the lad.

"Why?" Was all he asked. "He's on a mission now, and it is imperative that that is not disturbed."

"Well we can help." Yoruichi spoke up, a friendly smile on her face.

"I doubt you can, all it is, is a race, and if he can beat a certain man...well, its a bit complicated."

"What if I race too, and promote that Naruto guy, hm? Certainly there is no limit to those who can race, right?"

The Hokage was about to answer when the woman he was talking to flickered, appearing before him, a smile still across her face. He held back a jerk of surprise, not expecting such speedy movement. Sarutobi was going to suggest that racing wasn't a good idea, however, this 'Yoruichi' seemed to defy what his brain wanted to say, because this mission could make or break relations with the Raikage and his people.

He coughed into his hand and spoke calmly.

"Fine, so long as you do not cause a war, be polite, and when you catch up to Naruto, inform him of this slight change, they should be half-way there, so you have a good chance of catching up with him near the end if you hurry." He leaned back, his wrinkled hand reaching into a drawer, handing her a map, telling Yoruichi to follow it, and dismissed them.

"Hold it," Sarutobi suddenly spoke up, gaze shifting towards Rangiku just as they got to the door.

"You, why do you intend on meeting Naruto? I believe I heard that you two are not in good standing, is that right?"

Rangiku's eye brows raised in surprise, a step taken back. She hadn't known they were being watched, and if so, who had done so? But, his pensive stare caught her, and she could not help but bite down her thoughts and speak. "I-I want to make it up to him." her eyes pealed away from his. "What I did was wrong and stupid, I never wanted to hurt him. I thought that he would...well I guess it doesn't matter what I thought."

Sarutobi laced his fingers together, letting his elbows rest on the desk, staring at her. His pensive gaze picked up the light blush forming across her face, and then another one when, out the corner of one of his eyes, noticed the Soi-Fon woman do the same. His eye-brows shot up to his receding hair line when he realized what she meant.

"Youthreecangonow!" The Hokage shouted so fast they barely understood him, but they left nonetheless.

When they were gone, he went to his crystal ball, the images of people flickering across its steamy surface. It finally settled to the orange haired lass and her compatriots. Now, even as an old man, he had to admit that they were quite beautiful, in their respective ways, but he was still unsure what their relationship with Naruto was. He just hoped that the orange haired woman's words were true, that young man's been through quite a bit.

He watched them go out the gate, and suddenly, they flickered, disappearing into thin air, escaping his view.

Naruto and Anko were at the gates to enter the village hidden in the clouds, both a bit tense when two guards were standing at attention-instead of two slackers Naruto liked to joke around with. Naruto couldn't tell if they were always like that, or if they were ordered to be extra attentive per their arrival. They walked up to them, both the guards, a man and woman of similar countenance, greeted them with a glint of reverence.

"Sir!" Began the man.

"You are Uzimaki Naruto, summoned here by A, our Raikage!" Shouted the woman.

" _Correct!"_ Both of them now asked with that militaris speech.

Naruto smiled warmly and held out a hand to them. They flinched a slight, not in fear, but mere surprise. The man shook first with a nod, and then the woman did, both of their eyes wide, as if expecting him to fly off or something. But he just shook their hand, smiling to them, greeting them like anyone else.

"Why are you two so...tense?" Asked Anko, foregoing formality.

The twins looked between one another, then answered as one.

"We heard rumors from everywhere of how a very green genin defeated a dangerous jonin!"

Naruto's mind clicked.

 _Oh, so that's why,_ he thought, rubbing his chin. The people of wave had made up for their word, that they would spread his name and actions. They made good on it, the word of the people. He would have to return there sometime and thank the people. Maybe he'd put on a show for them, entertain them with a festival. That wouldn't be bad, and he would love to see the graves of his fellow fallen shinobi, pay respects.

"-is office."

Blinking his clouded mind away, Naruto apologized to the twins for spacing out, asking them to repeat themselves.

"A would like you to go to his office, he lives up closer to the clouds than even any of us."

Naruto thanked them-smiling-and began making his way through the gates, Anko in tow. He, however, stopped short of the thresh-hold. His sapphire eyes widened to two sliver slits of scary scarlet. He could feel his heart beat like a large bass drum, slow and loud in his ears. Unbidden, his familiar's swirled beneath his trench-coat, as if ready to strike out at anything that was too close.

Rangiku and the two others stood by the guards, her eyes just as wide. She clutched her hands together, as if to protect herself from her own wrenching heart. The air was tense, as if electrified with a negative charge, and it felt as though that any movement would be death. Rangiku took the chance, took a single step towards Naruto, but flinched as he seemed to snap around, staring down at her like a dark wraith, ready to swallow her very soul. His trench-coat pulsed about, lifting and snapping around as winds-with which there should be none-gushed a gale all around him, his Reishi like a rising inferno, blazing about and around him, renting the air, pushing Anko away. A screech filled the sky, from that of the tormented souls that dwelled in the abyss of his crimson trench-coat.

A gloved hand, the color of an icy blizzard, raised itself, as if some god pulled the strings to the arm, so detached from the rest of the person. Fingers that which had more countenance of a beast than that of mans _snapped_ over tinted goggles, snatching them away, ripping them off and casting them into the earth. The angry red of scarlet slits glowed like the pokers of some great furnace, piercing and pinioning the terrorized form of Rangiku Matsumoto. She tried to speak, but her tongue was ash in her mouth, dried and barren was her thinking, leaving her to stare into the eyes of a devil.

" **Leave. Me. _Alone._ "**

His words grated the sound of life itself, such horrid tones only a hollow would wish to have, the force of his Reishi forcing her to fall to her knees, slamming her to the ground. Her face fell flat as his power increased, unable to combat against such strength. Her eyes watched as he turned on his heel, making his strides ever away from her, out of reach.

 _N-Naruto-_

She felt herself slip into darkness, the pressure too much for her to bare. But, just when she was about to give in, to obey his words, to let him slip through his fingers once more, for doing nothing, she heard a voice.

 _Rangiku._

She knew that voice.

 _For once, we will not be lazy._

Haineko.

 _You want him, don't you?_

Yes.

 _Won't you fight for him, won't you be strong like him?_

Yes.

 _Won't you stand amongst the ashes of destruction, just to see him again?_

Yes!

 _Won't you stand, stand and fight, won't you be more than Rangiku, more than me, something else?_

Yes!

 _Then say it, say it or he will forever be lost, to you old woman, say it, say my name and be with him!_

YES!

"Ban-Kai!"

Naruto halted his booted feet, feeling Rangiku's spiritual power increase exponentially, leaping the gap between them, clinging to the other side. He turned around to witness a great gout of oceanic blue energy shoot into the sky, piercing the heavens. It changed shape, the color turning a heated orange now, the very essence of it becoming that of a large cat, a single flame at the tip of its tail. Its maw opened up, swallowing the very person it came from, exploding out in a shower of light and power. When it was all done, and the bright brilling light faded, there remained Rangiku Matsumoto.

Her hair was curled and strewn back into a pony tail of sorts, braided thickly with an orange flame burning-yet not eating away at-the tip of the tail. Her eyes were now a slight slit, larger than before. Her shinigami clothes were now sleek black and skin tight, a standing collar inches up her angelic face. What was her zanpakuto, were now two black and four long claws, her hands gripping the horizontal wooden handles, till her knuckles were white, and the bars that reached over and around her slender forearm were strict against her.

"Moeru Haineko!" Her voice seemed to rise above to the very heavens.

Naruto stared into her eyes, seeing that she was now close to if not at his power now, nearly the same. He was uncertain, but he didn't care. He didn't care that she achieved bankai, he just wanted to get away. But, he couldn't help the anger that was in him, he couldn't help his glare that still fought to pierce her.

"Naruto!" She shouted. "I will never leave you! I will never hurt you again! I will fight until you accept my apology and hear me out!" Even as her bellow reached him, she saw him growl like an animal.

"Then I guess your gonna have to fight for it!" He howled out as he grabbed his zanpakuto, flying at her with the saw cleaver already fully released. Naruto crashed into her clawed blades, sparks flashing out as he flew her through and back into the tree line. She twisted her blades, breaking away from his strong stalemate with her. Rangiku spun, Moeru Haineko slashing through the air as Naruto used shunpo in the last instant.

He appeared above her, swinging down. She dodged, flash-stepped above him, slashed down, then he did the same, yet this time, a Suta Suraisa brewing around his blade. She threw her clawed weapon forward with both clenched hands thrusting the bankai into the path of the blade, pincering it between two of the middle claws. Red Reiatsu completely arched _over_ Rangiku, sweeping past and harmlessly exploding in the forest below.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto snapped a leg forward.

The Matsumoto gasped as her gut seemed to betray her, that kick sending her through the sky in a fiery pain. Quickly, Naruto reached into his trench-coat, pulling out the blunderbuss like zanpakto, shouldering his Hocho o Mimashita in favor for his Dojina Hito.

Naruto leapt high into the air as his former love took a diving thrust at him.

"Burasuto!"

He pulled the trigger, letting loose a shot of Reiatsu at her. Shunpo saved Rangiku as she appeared in a flicker below him, sliding back on the air. He shot again, firing another gout at her. Her form disappeared, gaining countenance higher to the right.

Shots of Burasuto rung out like thunder, Rangiku getting closer and closer with each missed shot. She was about and before him a moment later, already swinging her claws. Time seemed to slow, and he could see her expression. Brows were furrowed, and her eyes shone with determination, and a frown of concentration etched her focused face.

Then he pulled the trigger.

 _ **BOOM!**_

Somehow, _somehow_ she slapped his zanpakto away at the last moment sending the shot up into the heavens. Now too close for him to swing and too late to dodge, her blades, both weapons gripped in her hands, pierced his gut, as if in reconpence for him kicking her so hard in the same place. Naruto daren't move, feeling his blood try to drain from him. With the help of familiar's, he kept as much red from escaping him. He could still beat her, and he planned to, kick her away and continue, but stopped.

Suddenly, her head slumped against his broad chest, resting it there.

"You can't go anywhere now, not without me!" She screamed into his chest, as if to order his heart to listen. "I won't," he heard her choke on her words as tears began shedding from her face, "I-I won't ever let you escape again! I won't I won't I won't I won't!" She cried out, her temple turning against him. "I will make you happy..." Rangiku's voice was swallowed by her large wet tears as her head lifted to him. "I won't ever stop caring for you..."

Naruto watched with a slew of mixed feelings as her form flashed, her bankai disappearing back into her shikai, her zanpakuto now sheathed in her hakama sash. Without the support of her newly achieved bankai, she fell into him, arms wrapping themselves around him completely, her head on his shoulder.

" _W-why..._ " His voice shook in her ear.

"Because. . .I love you, Naruto."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The _New_ Path

" _Why..._ " Naruto choked out into her ear.

"Because...I love you, Naruto."

Her words. Rangiku's words. They rung in his ear still, bouncing around in his skull, never settling, never finding a spot in his brain to sit itself on. The words, though he was thick headed, were strong, with conviction only _she_ could have, _her_ words the only ones that could have such a magnitude, in that moment. The words, finally, pierced and laid themselves in his mind, seeding themselves, rooted, nevermore could they be removed, always there _forever-_ more.

"Then, th-then why, why would you-" His words were strangled in his gullet, his own tears beginning to well up, cooling the fiery crimson slits, bleeding them 'till they were once more large blue orbs. She held him tighter, closer to her body, flush with her, making it so that there was no distinction between the middle, no one-if they were looked upon-could tell where they were of two separate people.

"No more, than anything else, I want you to be happy. I did it because you deserve more than what this world can offer. I was born in a world without love, and I was so lonely. I see it, in your eyes Naruto."

Sapphire eyes met.

"For too long you've been alone."

His mind fell away at that, completely, and utterly gone, no more was his thoughts prevalent. He didn't know when his arms fell around her, only that they did. He did not know when his temple pressed into hers, only that they did. He did not recognize his own voice, when he forgave her for what she did.

Only that he did.

When finally they returned, they came to the sight of several guards, all tense at his arrival. They were, however, not as tense when they saw a beautiful girl on the young man's shoulders. They looked, or at least felt, much like the anbu back in konoha, very stern. One of them, a young woman with the same outfit and armor as the rest, stepped up. Her grey vest however only covered her stomach, and not her chest. She had gray fatigues and fishnet beneath that armor, a short cut of blond locks framing her angular face. Her eyes, albeit blue, were not sapphire and deep, instead, pale like ice, something Naruto found amusement in.

"Why have you made a ruckus." Even her voice was stoic, reserved.

Naruto cocked his head to the side, then to a glance to Soi-Fon and the woman next to her. His eyes shifted back to the blond woman, and grinned in what felt like the longest time. The men and women behind the blond flinched, but she did not.

"Hey, what's your name! You didn't flinch, so you must be strong!" He shouted, walking closer with Rangiku at his side. The woman tensed up, but made no move fore a kunai. When she said nothing, he stopped short of a few yards from her.

"Your pretty cool." He told, holding out a hand.

"..."

He let out a laugh, it was hard and sent a chill down the spines of all who heard it. But, the blond woman still held her composer. At that, Naruto let his grin fall to a small smile.

"I have no intentions of messing with your village, I merely had a small skirmish with my little Rangiku here. I do apologize for the disruption I may have had, I promise no more such things will occur. Now, if you please, I would like it if you took me and my compatriots to your Raikage."

She stared blankly into his eyes, waiting for him to say more, but got nothing else from him. So, with a turn of the heel, she began making her way towards the gates, allowing him to follow. Upon passing her fellow shinobi, she ordered them to let go of Anko, who was surprisingly quiet.

Naruto saw her, and tilted his head for her to come along. She watched him, her gaze shifting to Rangiku. Both women shared a glance, all but saying a thousand words between them, in the end however, both smiled, and all four began making their merry way towards A and his office.

They were taken up to a large, crystal shaped, blue, building that lay erect in the sky. This place served the purpose of the Raikage's office, which when they stepped in, looked much like Sarutobi's. When they entered through his door, they came in counter with a very muscular black man, sitting down in a chair-which when they came in-stood abruptly. He was tall, too, corn rolls of blond hair, and a mustache on his lip. He wore a different coloration of the red Hokage cloak and hat, and was very serious when he made eye contact with them, no more so when he spotted Naruto.

"Uzimaki Naruto, the man who defeated the Devil of the Mist."

"Yo." Naruto gave a two fingered salute and smile to the man. "That'd be me."

The man came around the desk of his, coming to stand but arms length away. "They say you defeated Zabuza with a single strike, and that you were fast, even for a jonin. I want to race you, I want to know for sure that I am the fastest man alive, and if that is not true, and I have wasted konoha's time, then I give up one of my shinobi in reconpence."

He held out a large hand.

". . .Hmm, although I would rather not take one of your people, I see there would be no swaying ya."

Naruto shook the mans hand, a single up and down, and they broke away.

"You would be correct, now, since you've came here in such a short time, I would like you to take a rest in an inn, that way you will be at your fullest strength. We will accommodate you completely."

With that, the mans words being absolute, he turned away and sat back down, but not before Naruto said-

"Thankyou Raikage, for the invite."

"A, call me A, we are competitors, are we not?"

"Yes we are, A. I hope it will be a good race."

A mighty nod.

And finally, they left.

The blond woman from before led them towards a large building, seldom in speech-still-and told them that they would be staying here, and to ask for any room they wanted. Naruto thanked her and began making his way inside. The others began to follow when he stopped, turning to face the woman

"You don't have to follow us, er..."

"Orders." She told calmly.

"Oh, well, orders be orders. If, at the very least however," here he turned to look her right in the eyes, "tell us your name, if you are gonna follow us anywhere."

The blond woman stared into his eyes, glimpsing a gleam of interest in those sapphiric orbs of his. Was he so adamant about finding her name that he would press it so? How there far _could_ he go, what lengths will he go, just for such simple things as a name? Was it just his nature, or perhaps, no, well. . .it could be that, as a kid, he was unrecognized, and now that he was-at least by her leader, A-he dare not treat anyone else in such a way, to ignore them would be doing what others had done unto him.

With a sigh, she told him.

"Samui."

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, making her turn her eyes elsewhere, bringing them back to him with a nod.

"Well then, I thank ya kindly!" He bellowed with a wide grin, turning once more to go into the building, Samui following. They came inside, finding the first thing in sight to be a woman behind a desk, looking quite bored with herself. Her gaze shifted up towards them and found her eyes widen, brows lifted to her hair line. Her thoughts were that of this: that they were the strangest group of people she'd seen. A man in all red, whose cloths befit some alternate world, led them to her desk. At his side, was a woman dressed in all black, a sword to her side, a smile on her face. The other two were strange as well, a petite, shorter, woman with a pensive look, yet had a flamboyant yellow underneath the inside of that cloak, and the other, a dark skinned woman with dark eyes that seemed to have a glint in them, as if she were a mischievous lass.

At least there was one person she recognized.

"Samui!" She called, crooning to her friend.

The woman nodded, but she did not wave, to which the woman behind the desk did not like. She leapt over her station, sprinting full force, her feet thudding against the floor with the sound of thunder rising at her heels. She slammed herself into Samui, bowling her over, rolling each other until the woman was atop her, a fist clenched.

"Wave to your friends Samui!" She growled out, bonking the blond woman over the head.

"Get, off." Samui ordered, lifting her forearm to block another irate fist.

"No! You have to say you love me first!"

"-"

"Don't give me that look! We've been good friends since we were little, so say it! Or I will black-mail you!"

". . .fine," she finally conceded, "Cait Silth, I love you, you are my sister, we are best friends."

"Now, this time, with passion!" A grin spread across the black haired woman's face, her dark eyes lighting up. Samui let out a bit of emotion then, scowling for but a moment, before letting her face become placid once more. Her hand came up to the woman's cheek, and with a bit of Chakra, launched the woman off of her. The Cait girl flew up into the wall, slumping down with a blankness to her gaze.

Samui stood.

"Unconscious, it's fine." She told briefly, walking towards the front desk and grabbing keys to the rooms, tossing out five to each of them. Soi-Fon, Anko, and Rangiku tossed theirs back, and Samui kept one.

When they began making their way towards the top floor, Naruto told Rangiku, Anko, and Soi-Fon to go ahead to their room, tossing the latter the key-figuring the former would end up doing something-yet unsure of the snake user, and told Samui that he was going to talk to her-refering to Yoruichi-about something. She nodded, and headed up, staying withing earshot, just above a whisper, when she got up to the top.

Naruto turned to Yoruichi and sighed.

"So, I don't know who you are exactly."

"My name's Yoruichi," she extended a hand, "and you must be Naruto." A smile.

Naruto took her hand.

"Those two brought you here?"

They began shaking hands.

"Yes, those two were nervous though when they saw you at the gates."

They stopped shaking hands, letting their respective digits fall to their sides. Naruto found his usual smile fade.

"Then you know." He stated, already perceiving the answer. Just by looking at Yoruichi, he could tell she was not a dense woman, a perceptive one if anything else. He knew she knew why they brought her here, just the same as what Rangiku got in trouble with him in the first place for. He watched Yoruichi's smile soften.

"My former student, and Rangiku. Those two vying devils." A sudden laugh echoed from her chest, a hardy one, her smile reaching up to the side of her cheeks once more. "I have to say, convincing me because of my title, a _challanger_ to my speed, and here I find you are already involved." A sigh left her lips.

"I don't know you, Naruto, but you are an interesting one, that's for sure. So, maybe after we get back from this village, and to yours, we might be able to go on a date. I know they won't mind, considering what I've gathered."

Naruto and her shared a smile, making their way up the stairs. Samui heard the coming foot-falls, quickly turning, heading towards her room. Did she jut hear that? If what her mind was beginning to process was true then, o-oh, oh my, how her ears began to burn.

"Not cool." She told herself, steeling her mind, entering her room down the hall.

Naruto and Yoruichi made it to the top of the stairs, a hallway with doors lining the sides. They opened their respective doors, wishing each other a good night.

When Naruto entered his room, he noticed the chair in the corner of the rectangular room, a bed in the opposite corner, a night stand by it with a lamp. He saw all three of them, Rangiku, Anko, and Soi-Fon on the bed, as if waiting for him. He smiled, tossing his trench-coat, fedora, and saw-cleaver on the chair.

"She knows now. She doesn't seem to care though."

Soi-Fon had wide eyes at that, Rangiku however...

"So, you don't mind if-

"No. I won't. Not anymore. If more come, and they are like her, then so be it."

His eyes lingered towards Anko at that.

He almost found a laugh at the back of his throat a moment later, thinking about it all. Everything was just, tossed on its head now. This world was so screwed up, twisted and mangled, spat out by the breath of a silent god. No one seemed to take notice. They just went with it. So, perhaps, for now, he could give in to this insanity, this law of lawlessness.

For once, on this subject, Naruto Uzimaki, would give in to the beating of the world, and allow himself to succumb to this sin.

 **Lemon warning-see, told you there would be more :^)**

Naruto moved out to them, his feet sliding along the air, standing over them like a giant. Rangiku was the first to be attacked, his form timbering over her's. His lips clasped over hers as they fell atop the bed, his hands on either side of her head. He pulled his head back, a soft smile on his face. The orange haired lass found her cheeks burning from what he did.

Straddling her hips, he let his hands roam over Rangiku's sides, sliding along down to her hips, gliding over her middle, and coming back up, grasping her chest. A mewl escaped her wanton lips as he clenched his fingers over each large mound. He leaned down, mouth wide, fangs glistening, pearly white shards of glass they were, yet gentle as with the most precious gem when they came to Rangiku's large breasts. Those razors that had killed hundreds-if not thousands-of beings, that which could rip hard scaled flesh with the ease of pulling apart a wet tissue, instead pulled apart Rangiku's shinigami robes. When the veils were parted, he took a moment to stare at them, taking note that he was a lucky man, and dived down to the one on the right, latching on.

Anko watched those two, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She watched as the woman she had an ire for-just hour before-moaned as Naruto continued his gentle sway over her. Anko was jealous that he could so easily go after her like that, but, whatever happened in those crashing skies as they fought, must have changed things. The snake user suddenly became aware that the Soi-Fon woman watched them with-not quite terror-but with fear. Even though she didn't know her well, Anko stood, removing her trench-coat, and came to the woman's side, placing a hand on her shoulder. The petite woman nearly leapt from her flushed skin, but stared up at Anko, her fear abating but a slight.

"Its alright, er-Soi-Fon. After she goes, I will, and if you want to go with him after that, then he will be more tired. Right?" She told, trying to comfort her. She shivered under Anko's hand, and Anko kneeled down, wrapping her slender arms around the woman.

"I'll tell him to be gentle, okay?"

Soi-Fon stared at her, her usually pensive gaze-which was near terrified-settled down to a waning look of final want. Anko smiled, but nearly leapt from her own skin. Soi-Fon pressed her lips softly into the snake user, holding her face, keeping her from jerking back. Anko eventually found herself moaning as the kiss continued, her own hands framing Soi-Fon's face. Anko slid her hands down, parting the captain cloak and shinigami clothes beneath, finding the petite woman's chest. She left the kiss, gliding her lips from angular cheek to the woman's neck, trailing down until she was at the small round mounds, letting her tongue slide over each pert nipple.

Naruto heard the moans of Soi-Fon, smiling as he nibbled a mound, pinching each nipple and rolling his thumb over the tip. He suddenly stopped, bringing his nose down between them, running it through her middle, 'till he came to her hakama pants. He pulled it away from her legs, placing each roagh hand on either side of her hips, but before he could do anything, two weak hands pressed themselves against his temple. He looked up, gaze transfixed to hers.

"Nnn-no mm-more tt-teasing..." She gasped out, barely able to lift her voice any higher.

Naruto grinned once more, and nearly tore off his pants a moment later, a near instant later, he was at her entrance. Leaning down, he opened his maw, and at the same moment that he let his teeth come down on her breast, he bucked into her. A moan- _near scream!_ -came flying out of her throat, unable to hold in her voice-even if she wanted to.

Naruto let go of her nipple, watching her chest as it shifted up and down with each move he made. When that almost dulled him with the sight, he slipped his hands underneath Rangiku's slim back, lifting her even as he continued to rock in and out. Her slender legs found themselves wrapped about his middle after that, letting out groans as he continued to thrust.

Anko and Soi-Fon themselves found each other in their own tangle of slender limbs. Soi-Fon lay atop Anko, between the snake users strong legs, the same went for Anko too, though, she was below the second captain. Soi-Fon let her tongue slip out, rolling over the other woman's entrance. Her hands were snaked around Anko's legs, letting her digits spread and crawl at Anko.

Anko squirmed, almost locking Soi-Fon's head completely, but did not waste her opportunity in her haze. She buried herself in Soi-Fon, rubbing and biting, no real plan or way of thinking-like her partner. When she felt her hit her own limit, so too did Soi-Fon, both of their screams muffled as they buried their faces further into each other's snach, their legs making sure nothing-esecially the others head-escaped.

They lost strength in their hold, eventually, and slumped-Soi-Fon's form flopping over and face up-with their chests heaving. Not but a few moments later, Rangiku was forced in the same situation, clamping down around Naruto's wood. She screamed, but soon bit down on Naruto's shoulder, muffling the sound, and Naruto came just the same, unable to hold it back.

When it was over, she let her teeth unsink themselves from him-which he was glad for-and her legs loosened, falling back on the bed. Naruto thought it was over, getting ready to slump by the now shorter woman, when hand suddenly clasped itself around his mast. He almost jumped- _which would have been very bad!_ -and followed the hand back towards Anko, a smirk about her face.

"You're not finished yet!"

And with that, she leapt out, bowling over the usually statued man over. He let out an ' _oomph_ ' when his back slammed into the ground. Naruto looked up, and swore up and down, that light emenated from around her naked curves. She may not have Rangiku's bust, but she had curves-curves for days-and a tone to her smooth, flat, belly. She kneeled before his member, over his legs, pining him, and turned her upper half 'round. Naruto felt his eye twitch because first of all-jiggle-and second of all, what she turned to say.

"Soi-Fon, come here, do to him what we just did." she told the petite woman.

Soi-Fon's face lit up with a burning flush, but got up from off the bed anyway. Her feet tittered and hesitated when she got close to him, but when her dark eyes gaze went towards Anko's, she saw a confident smile, and a gesture, spurring her on. With a sigh, Soi-Fon stood-foot on either side of his head-and kneeled down.

Naruto could only see darkness now, completely unseeing, but he didn't mind, in fact, he felt a small hand, Soi-Fon's hand, wrap itself around his member-which he bucked a slight to the cool touch-and felt it begin to pump him. He really did mind the fact now, specially because of how light she was, and returned the favor, his slightly longer tongue lapping around at her entrance at first, before slipping in. The hand squeezed tight, but that did not detour him, instead he continued his assault, delving deeper inside her. A rewarding moan shuddered down her, and he grinned, picking up his attention to her completely.

Anko watched with such wrapped attention, that she did not notice Rangiku until her hand was already grasping the snake users breast. A moan escaped grit teeth, but Anko quickly turned her head, capturing a kiss from the orange haired girl. When they pulled back, Rangiku whispered something to Anko, and leaned back with a smirk. A fervent nod, and Anko told Soi-Fon to stop.

Raising herself on her knees, Anko lined herself with his mast, and slid down. He bucked, nearly throwing her off, but she rode it out, her face turning red with an open smile stretching across her face. Rangiku moved to Soi-Fon's side, grabbing hold of her small chest. A groan flittered out, but she did not stop, instead, she brought her first finger and thumb, on both nipples, down on her, rolling the nubs. Soi-Fon-for the second time-came.

She fell off, but Rangiku grabbed her, bringing her head between her large chest. Soi-Fon's gaze-though half lidded-lifted towards the brighter, lusty, eyes of Rangiku's. Before they could say a word, Anko lost her battle, and came, moaning as she fell off-and forward, from Naruto.

"Freedom!" He bellowed, leaping up, sweat covered form and all.

His eyes fell down to the two women, and watched Rangiku hug Soi-Fon a slight tighter-whispering in the petite lass's ear-and let go. Soi-Fon, on weak legs, stood, staring at him for a moment, before looking away, as if ashamed.

A hand came to her chin, cupping it, gently tugging up. Her dark eyes fell on the visage of a gentle giant, as it were. For some reason, with all that had occurred, those eyes had been worked into two scarlet slits, giving him a fox like visage. Soi-Fon was captivated, unable to break her gaze from his gentle, caring one. He was not like any other man. He was kind to her, soft, though his muscles were not, gentle as he laid a kiss on her lips. She did not recoil from that, she did not feel disgust, only warmth.

An absent hand flouted 'round the curve of her back, pulling her into his embrace. She felt momentary disappointment when he retracted from her, but felt his warmth return once more when he suddenly lifted her with both of his strong arms. He kneeled slowly, placing her down with the care of a glass-smith. When she was on the ground, he got a rightly good look on her face. Flushed red, blushing with the tint of scarlet, her braids undone and scattering her hair out like a flowing curtain of satin. His rough digits came flouting over her angular face, brushing aside a few daring locks that blocked the side of her face.

She could not contain herself, and reached a hand up to his face, dainty hands cusping the strong chin and rugged whisker cheeks of someone who may one day, save soul society, and maybe even the whole of all the worlds. A short smile came out of hiding from under his exhaustion, one she saw-as if to say-'you are apart of us now.'

With that smile, he let the tip of his head wane against her entrance, and with a single thrust, entered her. A feather light gasp came from Soi-Fon as he began to buck into her with the care she did not expect from a man, especially one such as him. She forced her dark eyes towards his face, surprised to see his crimson slits already gleaming into her face. Both locked themselves in that look, unable to tear away from one another as he continued to thrust deep into her slick, tight cavern.

The time came, and Naruto shot ropes of cum in her, still thrusting against his dwindling strength. Soi-Fon felt her own end as she clamped down against him, moaning with each buck he gave. When finally, it was over, she slid off of him, dripping white falling down her two touching legs. They never did break their gaze between one another, up until then, as Naruto could no longer hold himself up right, falling to the woman's side.

He was passed out, but with what little strength she had, Soi-Fon edged her way towards his side, gazing at his peaceful face for a moment, regarding him with the spark of love, before lapsing a hand over his broad chest. Her usually pensive eyes, now soft and half-lidded, fell, falling into slumber with her arms around Naruto.

A second pair of arms came from Anko as she sidled up next to him just as well, cuddling as her own energy seemed to be sapped out at last. She too succumbed to sleep. Finally, Rangiku lay herself atop his body, laying her head on his chest. A whisper, just for her to ever hear, came out of Rangiku's lips.

"I knew you'd love it."

And she too fell into deep slumber, a soft smile framing her lips, carrying her there.

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys, what did you think? I've been quite busy with finals and such, so not much time for a long chapter, but I hope this satisfies ya. Also, tell me what you guys thought, point to things that were good, and tell me things you didn't like, what-if when I make another fanfiction-i could change to make it better. Private Message or Review, either way, I want to know how you guys felt.**

 **Before you go, I would like to tell ya that I've also watched and finished Tokyo Ghoul, both season's, end to bloody end. I won't spoil things for those who haven't finished and want to watch, but I will say that Keneki's life is a 'tragedy' as he says**

 **I've decided that after this fiction is done, i'm gonna change that.**

 **With a little bit of datte, and a bit of bayo.**

 **And some gender bender...**

 **See ya guys, have a good day and great week!**

 **:^)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter17

And Boom Goes the Explosive Tags

Rangiku woke with an airy head, as if she were made of air, light as a feather, feeling free without a worry. She opened her eyes, and was caught to have a surprise, that she was not holding unto a snoring blond. She was, instead, holding fast to Anko, who did the same. Blinking a few times, she let out a confused-

"-eh?"

She was about to raise herself and untangle her limbs, when Anko tugged her back. Rangiku sighed, but let herself snuggle back in, glad that someone-probably Naruto-had placed a blanket over them. Before she could fall back asleep however, a realization dawned on her. It was only Anko and her, on the floor, so. . .where was Naruto?

"Where's Soi-Fon?"

Speaking of Soi-Fon, she and Naruto sat at a round table, drinking coffee. They had decided to leave-both usually the first two to get up anyway-and so Naruto suggested that they go out for coffee. She had never had such a thing, and so he egged her on for it. So, here they were, in a coffee shop, sitting in a windowed booth, across from one another. In truth, Naruto wanted to get to know Soi-Fon a bit better, and what way could he do that, you ask? Trying something new, see how they reacted to the experience.

"So, there are several kinds of coff-ee." Soi-Fon asked, trying the strange word on her tongue. She did not get out to the human world-especially this one-often, leaving her a bit bare trodden on these modern things. Oh she knew what a car _was_ , she knew there was a thing call coffee and even of the _internet_. But that didn't mean she knew of how they worked, or in this case, tasted.

"Meh, many, cappicino's, iced coffee, pumpkin spice-think you'll like that one. But, for now, some hot vanilla creamer to edge off the bitter black coffee. I think you might like it." He told, a smile on his red goggled face, his fedora nearly hiding that fact. She was bright, but ill shown to the world, and he took some pride in broadening her spectrum of things to try. He watched her grasp the handle of her cup, picked it up, bringing it to her lips. She stopped, and he noticed that he was staring a bit to intently, so with a slight hardy laugh, turned his head away, glancing back with his eyes, however, to watch her expression.

Soi-Fon tipped it enough that she could take a sip, and when she did, found a bitter and sweet taste in her mouth. Her eyes widened, and the whole cup went vertical, tipping her head back as she gulped down the whole cup in one sitting. She slammed it down, and shouted for some pumpkin spice. The waitress immediately got on it.

"Hahahahaha, heheheheh. . .oh man~" Naruto let out a full hardy tittering of laughter, a big 'ole grin on his face. She let out a giggle that sounded more like that of a school girls and not of a prestigious second captain of the Gotei 13.

"You know, I did not like you much at first." Soi-Fon told.

"-thanks-"

"Do not give me that look. I simply mean, that at first, I believed you were nothing more than a nuisance I had to deal with."

Naruto's face turned sour, but it quickly shifted when she leaned over the table some, her dark eyes shining with a glint of light. "But, but now, I see that you have a heart of gold, behind that silver tongue."

The Uzimaki found himself flabbergasted, unable to speak for a moment. But, he regained his composer, and leaned forward. So close were they, that their noses nearly touched, and when Soi-Fon thought he was going to kiss her, he spoke instead.

"And behind your cynicism, I find a softy."

And he leaned back.

A smile crept up her face, a blush crossing her cheeks for a moment. They sat there, for a moment, before they noticed two shadows over them. Their heads turned, and came eye to eye with an irate Rangiku and Anko. Before either Naruto or her could say a word, they were grabbed, thrown over the shoulders of the two, and carried off. Just before they exited the coffee shop, Soi-Fon witnessed her pumpkin spice coffee delivered to their former table.

"Nooo, my pumpkin spice!" She cried as she was carried off to somewhere.

High up in the clouded sky, far above the unknowing people of the cloud village, stood four white clothed figures. Each bore some sort of semblance with that of an animal: A dark skinned woman with brown hair that seemed to poof out like a lions main, a black haired woman who covered herself in long sleeved robes with the eyes as precise as a snakes, and a shorter petite woman who squatted down with a wicked grin, the look of an antelope with the hollow mask remains on her head. Each off them had these remains, resembling what they looked like before gaining the power of the shinigami.

Except one.

She had a shaggy head of blond hair, her short sun kissed locks nearly covering her eyes. She had a high collar covering her face. Her form was very matured, curved, with a short bleach white jacket revealing the hazel skin of her smooth belly. She wore hakama pants that didn't hide the sides of her hips. When she spoke, her voice was not far from the tone of Samui.

"I feel his presence, that man that Aizan-sama has assigned us to take. But," her eyes narrowed, "I also feel three others, two are shinigami, and the third has little Reiyuko, but a strange energy is there as well."

The antelope like one stood, taking a step on the air, pointing down at the village.

"So what! Let's just get down there and kick some asses!"

Before she could do anything, the lion like one grabbed the smaller one by the collar, holding her up. "Hey, we can't go 'till Harribel-sama says so Apache!"

The smaller one butted heads with the larger one, gritting her teeth.

"Shut up Mila-Rose! We're stronger than them, we might as well get down there and have some fun!"

The two began to bicker, and the snake-like one began to giggle behind her sleeve.

"Both of you are idiots." Her voice was like jingling bells.

"What was that Sun-Sun!" Both tall and short woman glared over at the conservative one.

The bickering became so much that the leader had to step in.

"All of you, please stop, we are going down there."

The short loud one looked at her leader with wide hopeful eyes.

"And kick some ass?"

Harribel looked at her fraccion.

"Yes."

Naruto found himself encircled by Rangiku and Anko, cornering him in an ally, both woman glaring down on him, Soi-Fon was at the side, confused and a bit sad that she didn't get her coffee. He too was confused, why were they mad at him for? Its not like he eloped with Soi-Fon or anything.

"What did I do wrong?" He asked, getting both women to glare at him a slight harder, before both finally sighed.

"We wanted coffee too..."

"-really?"

With his own sigh, Naruto smiled.

"Fine, lets go get you guys some. . ." His smile suddenly disappeared, his face becoming stern, a frown across his face. The girls were confused, wondering why he was so quiet and serious, but they found out soon enough.

With swiftness, Naruto drew out his saw cleaver, pulling the trigger to extend it. The girls had wide eyes, not because of what he did, but because of what they felt, even Anko felt the build of Reiatsu around them. They too, drew their zanpakuto, Anko pulling out her kunai, forming a circle with Naruto, ready for anything.

A twitch of the ear was all Naruto got, the sound of swirling Reiatsu his only warning.

He leapt away, hoping his shout got the others attention-given the sudden burst of a golden yellow beam shooting down from the sky, as if some irate god decided he no longer liked them. But, he turned in the air, leaping up with shunpo, noticing the others began to increase the amount of Reishi-Chakra with Anko-leaving him certain that they were fine, but that feeling disappeared when he felt a very powerful amount of Reiatsu begin to overwhelm his own. He pushed out more of his power, balancing the struggle with his and the mysterious source, at least for now.

Before him, appeared a woman, her sudden existence exalted by the static boom that accompanied her. She was likely the one who fired the shot of Reiatsu at him and the girls, which left a bit of a bitter taste in his mouth. Naruto would have to teach this woman what it meant to mess with his girls.

Anko found herself in an estranged engagement with a short girl, a white mask forming a horn above her head. Since the blast and the warning shout, this girl had gone after her with relentless swings of her fists, a grin on her face. Anko at first was surprised, but sobered up, and began dodging, blocking the kicks that this girl could snap out like a whip.

Anko caught a fist to her face, her head twisting with it. She didn't let the force go to waste however, and let the momentum carry her own leg out, her shin connecting firmly with the mis-matched eyed girl's head, rolling her over. The sound of two distinct- _SHINK-_ soundssnapped Apache's eyes open, the fist of Anko forcing her to stumble back into what felt like netting.

"Gya!" She screamed as it wrapped around her, restricting her from moving. Falling flat on her face, Apache glared up at Anko with her amber eye, her teeth grit like a steel trap. She saw a large grin on Anko that promised pain, but-to her surprise-Anko leapt away as a sizzling sound filled her ears. And-

 _BOOM!_

The ground shuttered with the force as explosive tags went off, leaving a smoky mess. Anko stood atop a building, that grin on her face ever prevalent, but as most things go for smoke clearing from an explosion, her target was still there, standing, with not but a scratch. And, was she more pissed off than anything?

Soi-Fon was fairing just the same, though in the air, staring down the calm smile of Sun-Sun.

"Oh, what a pity, I seems you have to fight me~" The girls light giggle made Soi-Fon's ears twitch a slight. This thing, this girl, had the feel of a hollow, and a shinigami, a mix that she had only felt with the intruder but a month ago or so. If that was the case, then their fight would be a hard one, which meant she had no room for holding back.

With a flash of yellow light, and the removal of her captain's cloak, she released her shikai.

Speeding forth with shunpo guiding her feet, Soi-Fon leapt up, rolling as she came down, the air whistling with her movements. Sun-Sun's eyes widened, but narrowed a moment later, using her sonido to avoid the strike. Cat and mouse was played as Soi-Fon went after the snake like woman, getting under her radar as she landed at least one strike against her, the form of a butterfly appearing on Sun-Sun's back. The woman suddenly turned on Soi-Fon, two pronged weapons appearing from her sleeves, one of them cutting Soi-Fon's side, the other keeping the gauntlet like weapon from piercing her again.

"Oh my, it seems you are out matched~"

Rangiku found herself staring down at a tall, amazonian woman, a double edged sword clutched in her hands. Rangiku drew her Haineko, but did not make a move, instead, she asked the woman a series of questions. One that drew confusion on the Mila-Roses face.

"How far, do you wish to take this?"

The ebony lion did not speak at first, but instead let one hand draw away from her sword.

"As far as Harribel-sama wishes."

To this, Rangiku smirked, a glint in her eyes.

"Let me ask you something else then. Do you know what Haineko means?"

A blank look, then, ". . .ash cat?"

"Yes. Now, where do ashes come from?"

". . .fire, but why-"

"Correct, then, if 'ash' comes from fire, and this is my _shikai_ , then what would be my second release?"

Mila-Rose did not like where this was heading, and decided that these questions will end, cutting them off by the source of the annoyance. She dash forth on a booming sonido, even as the words were spoken, even as the blinding fire began its turbulent and explosive beginnings. All too late was she, far too away and too slow was her sonido, as the words catalyzed the event.

"Bankai, Moeru Haineko!"

And a flash of light and fire was all that could be seen in the sky

Naruto felt them increase their power, everyone of them, fighting to their best extent that they could, brawling against one another. He found himself staring at a calm collected woman, who's demeanor was much unlike the others. Finally, he asked her something.

"Why are you attacking us?"

She took a moment to answer.

"Aizen-sama has ordered that we take you to him, so that you may be used in his army."

"What about the others?" He asked once more, eyes narrowing.

"...they do not matter. You are the only one we require."

Naruto did not like that answer.

He probably can't release any Suta Suraisa or Burasuto-thus leaving his blunderbuss weapon in his cloak-and considering the village he was in would blame konoha and war would ensue and blah blah blah. But, he _could_ release something else that he'd been saving. Naruto just had to wait for the right time.

Harribel would have frowned if, well, you know, but she was sure the slight glare she gave was good enough, and decided that if this man was going to draw his blade against hers, then she only had one option to take course to. She drew her own sword, sparks kicking out when she did so. She held the hollow blade aloft, and let her body take control, shutting down her mind, and falling into instinct.

She dashed forward, sword tucked across her abdomen. A static boom filled the air as she disappeared. Naruto's eyes widened, but narrowed in a short time, sliding one foot back as the other snapped out the other way, twisting him in the air. In that same instant, his sword arm lashed out, preventing the tres espada leader from gnashing his side. Sparks snapped out from the collision, and both had a single moment as they stared into the others eyes.

And then it was gone, both combatants zipping about the air, clashing together with such force that thunder seemed to peal with each strike, the air whipped away and howled as if it were alive and being sliced as their swords crashed together. Naruto found himself smirking, finding this to be a good fight, but reminded himself that he was fighting for his girls, for the cloud village, fighting for his own life.

An upswing dashed his saw cleaver away, a kick brought him to his knees, and finally, Harribel's short sword pierced his side.

"Guh! G-guuuh."

"I will not kill you, but we will take you."

Naruto's vision lapsed for a moment as he gurgled. In the back of his mind, he damned himself for not focusing, but knew that would get him no where, so he decided to finally release _that_ move. Hocho O Mimashita collapsed, retracting and wrapping itself around his arm. Harribel was further surprised when he brought his hands together to form a box over his eye.

" **Deddo Seishin Kai!** "

Harribel was thrown back as a miasma of black exploded out from him, wrapping itself, binding itself to the form of the man it came from, making him larger, covering him with sticky tar that boiled and popped as it became like that of a large fox. The sound of lost souls cried out with gnashing teeth, as if to call forth the hand of a god, to rip them from their master, but it was never so. For, the fox that formed from the familiars, it glared down at Tai Harribel, as if about to devour her.

And it opened its mouth, letting loose a hollow cry, thunder pealing at its lost soul woven tongue. It was about to lunge, when suddenly a hail of kunai erupted from out of no where, a net full of explosive tags attached. Its large eyes widened as the net wrapped around it, but before they could go off, the very wave creating a haze of smoke, the beast seemed to liquefy, slipping through the net, and out the other side it went, covering Harribel by accident.

The explosion rocked the air, sending the beast right into Harribel, just as it unraveled and receded back into Naruto. The blonds tumbled into one another, Naruto feeling something harder than ribs crack and burst beneath his chest. A cry of pain came from Harribel, but he could do nothing as they fell.

The ground, it was coming up fast, and it would most likely kill the woman. Now, the blond Jinjuriki didn't rightly know what got in his head to do what he did, but did it none the less, despite the great pain he was going to feel. Grabbing something soft-he couldn't tell at the time-with one hand and wrapping her form with the other hand, he twisted 'round, moving her so that she was on top. And not a moment too soon, the ground unyielding as it was painful, breaking nearly every bone in his body, each piece snapping like twigs, the sound was chilling just as well, as if kettle corn were being popped all at once.

His eyes were shut tightly, reeling from the feeling, his whole body in shock, it was so much that he decided to use a familiar up in recompense. He felt his bones snap back in place, sealing together once more. The gashes and cuts closed too, leaving him with not but a scratch. This was when he opened his eyes.

Harribel was still atop him, her eyes were closed, but the collar to her jacket was ripped open. What was that strange, hard looking thing on her face? It looked like a shark toothed mask had covered most of her lower face, that is, until he crashed into her, shattering it-and something lower-to the point that only a few remnants remained on the very edges of her cheeks. Then, he realized that, because the mask was gone, her lips were exposed.

By complete accident, they were kissing, or at least, they were as Naruto pulled back and away. Blood was in his mouth, he tasted the iron, but knew it was not his. Which, if the healing wounds and scratches to go by were anything, that would mean she had just become his familiar.

"Well, this, complicates things."

"What?"

Naruto realized she was conscious, her eyes gleaming down on him with, well, not anger, nor confusion, both? Maybe? But he had no time to question, only to act.

"What are youuuuu!"

With a heft, he lifted Harribel from her feet, holding her in his arms. He really hadn't expected to be helping her, but by the fact that those were _shinobi_ weapons that nearly killed _both_ of them, it would seem that the Raikage was not happy about intruders. So, out of the alley he went, using shunpo, looking for the closest one of his girls he could find.

Anko was surprised by the strange bracelets this girl pulled out of no where, them having jagged tips to them and all. But, was surprised her even more, as they fought on even grounds, was the giant beast that had appeared in the sky. But, she had little to fear, feeling that it was Naruto's presence, mixed with the foxes-probably why it had that appearance. Though, shortly after, netting enveloped it, leaving a large explosion to rock the area. It was then that Anko nearly lost herself, ready to kill whoever did that, but felt his Chakra once more as he zipped around. Then, out of no where, he was before both her and Apache, his expression no longer that of a grin, nor was it sad. It just looked like he was really, really, _really_ pissed.

The others were with him-including the subordinates of the blond woman in his arms. With them all together like that, he was about to suggest that they leave, but found himself frowning as the rush of feet and shouts surrounded them. All about them, encircling them, were shinobi of the cloud village, all drawing out their own weapons, ready to strike them.

It was then that Naruto cursed his bad luck, realizing that even they, him and his girls, would be coupled with the four who attacked them. If he did anything to provoke them further, there would be hell to pay, _war_. That was the last thing he wanted, especially for Rangiku, Anko, Soi-Fon, and even Kyuubi. The sound of a flash-step was barely heard as Yoruichi appeared, standing by Naruto with the rest, her arms raised in a stance.

"Got yourself into some trouble I see?"

"Not my fault, the people came out of no where and decided to fight us."

"You went into a fight without me?"

"Kinda happened on the fly."

Naruto heard her giggle a slight, nearly making him smile, but his scowl was still present, especially when the Raikage showed up, holding someone struggling by the hair. No, not just anyone, no, it was Samui. Why though? Why was he doing that to someone he obviously trusted?

"You come into my village, after being invited, and getting to roam around freely like a _citizen_ , and yet this is how you treat me? No, I will not let you get away with this, you will pay, with blood."

he tossed the struggling lass to his feet, her expression downcast even as Yoruichi helped her to her feet.

"She should have warned us of your attack, so, I will personally have you all, executed, _together!_ "

Suddenly, blue flames erupted from him, covering him, this thick Chakra. He rushed forward with incredible speed, but before he could do anything, clones of Anko appeared, not soon after, large snake summons came to their aid. A crashed through the clones, poofing them with his fists, and continued, slugging one snake after the other.

"Everyone, get close!" Naruto shouted, letting out his familiars, all of them, to surround them in one, large, black ball of those he caught. Many were frightened by the piercing crimson red eyes of thousands of whatever it is made up that sphere. On the inside, Naruto turned around in the dark.

"Is there anyway for you three to get us out of here? By the looks and feel of it, you guys have hollow powers. So, is there a way for us to get out the way you guys came in?" He asked, hoping they wouldn't have to make a mad dash around an entire village of people raised to kill. The tall lion like woman took a step forth.

"Yes, there is."

She turned around, and suddenly, as if her mere presence was knocking on a door, the air ripped itself asunder, like a mouth opening. Out of that, they could see the dunes of white sand, that forever, seemed to go on ever more, with the canvas of a bleak sky above.

"Alright then, let's-"

"Wait wait wait! Before we go, _before_ , we go. I gotta do one thing." Apache interrupted Naruto. The latter asked the former what they meant. "Just, can they hear us out there?" The tom-boyish girl let loose a grin that Naruto could say was an ornery one, and he _liked_ it!

"Sure," he answered as someone thudded against the familiar wall.

" _I will punch you!"_ The faint voice of A was heard, making both Apache and Naruto grin madly.

Going up to the wall's side, Apache yelled out for all to hear.

"This is my own private domicile! And I will not be harassed!" she turned to Naruto, trying to conceal a laugh as they both shouted with a hardy bellow-

"BITCH!"

And with that, they leapt through the gargunta, Naruto's familiars vanishing and returning with him as a dumb-struck army of shinobi stared on in disbelief. Behind them, the opening closed on A, just before he could get to them.

 **A/N**

 **Hahaha! I couldn't resist that last one, the Jessie Pinkmen moment was too good to pass up, especially considering how often Apache says the word 'bitch.' but, I digress, I was hoping this chapter to stir some things up, and I do hope it satisfies you guys. I know I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoyed the read.**

 **So, what happens now that Harribel is Naruto's 'familiar,' because for some reasons, I don't think he should let her go just yet. You know, the whole- _gonna kill your girls after we escape an army of ninja-_ thing kinda comes to mind. But, that doesn't mean stuff ain't gonna happen between the two. And, Samui is there, A betrayed her, so obviously she won't quite stay loyal after that.**

 **Anyways, you guys have a great day, R and W**

 **:^)**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

A Strange Encounter with the Hollow Kind

Out of the eater, something to eat, out of the eater, something sweet, that was Naruto's first impression of the four woman he and the girls got to know of. They fought with a ferocity that most woman, even most konoichi, did not have. Yet, despite that, they had good information concerning hueco mundo-considering it was their home-this desert place, white sands and bleak sky, the dark cast over by the large pillars and sand that made up the place.

It reminded him of his mindscape when Walter pulled him in there, except, _that_ sky and desert was colorful, but this place, it looked like purgatory, nothing much happened until you made it happen. They had informed him, as much as he could summarize, that this Aizen fellow wanted to take over soul-society, the earth, and the elemental nations, hence why the powerful man knew of him, having people-these Arrancar, of which the four woman were prominent ones-spy on him and the goings of the whole place, easy to do when your people could stand on air and far away.

Now, if you're wondering, why they would tell him this, and why they were not fighting, well, one, he saved Harribel from dying-the three woman having great admiration for her-and the second reason being that if they chose to harm him, he could use her life in recompense for the damage dealt. They did not like the idea of their Fraccion leader harmed or dying, so they let it be, at least for now.

"So, what do we do then? Huh smart guy? Aizen doesn't allow failures. We're supposed to deliver ya, and I doubt he'd let us go." Apache's smart mouth spat out, brow raised. She had it in her mind-as the other three had-that he would go with them, the obvious option and smartest, concerning that Aizen could easily beat even them, especially with the other Espada involved and at his backing.

At the forefront of the subject, all eyes were on Naruto's crimson cloaked form, expecting him to relent to the man. Well, those who didn't know Naruto. Rangiku knew his response, so did Soi-Fon and Anko-the two having like mindedness. Yoruichi knew of Aizen's strength, but was not deterred by the fact, knowing that to beat an enemy so terrifying in power and forces, would be to amass their own courage against such a thing, so she too could tell he would not back down. The many gazes fell to him as he lifted his head to each, removing his red tinted goggles, as if to peer into them. He turned on his black booted heel, turning away from them, and with a great voice stated thus:

"HIS POWER IS BULLSHIT!" The roar of air that came from his throat was nearly defending, and the least bit note worthy concerning eloquence, but it held out in its most greatest value that which could be counted on, as courage. Bravery in the looming face of maddening oblivion of that which they knew not of, even as he continued on.

"We are not gonna scurry away from him! We are gonna fight! I don't care what you four do, but as for my and my girls, and for the people that I call precious to me, I will fight!" He turned in his own enthusiastic heels, coming full circle. "War is coming from all places, and it brews, rotten and spoiled, ready to pour out on the lands! You can go back or held keep the casualties low, I don't care!" Here, his head fell, as if deflated, but he craned his neck towards the sky, his voice smooth yet iron. "But I won't stand by and let these things take place, I won't let people I care about die because there is an illusion of peace."

His head came to their star-struck faces, his own visage caught in brief reprieve in thought.

"I will rise against him, even if it costs me my own life. But I won't lie down like a damn dirty dog, I'm gonna bite his hand and spite out his foul blood."

Harribel, who now could stand on her own feet, stepped towards him, her face placid. Naruto thought at first, she was going to slap him, but did not, instead, she put a hand to his shoulder.

"Do not waste you're words, do not let them die."

Her expression showed then, her lips-so strange was it to have them this long!-contorted to a short smile.

"I won't."

A nod, and Harribel opened a Gargantua for them, opening it several miles away from the village hidden in the clouds. Naruto smiled, and told the others to go through, that he'd be staying for a short time. His girls asked why, but he interrupted them, saying that he would come through after he did some training here.

"Hollows are vicious, they never relent, and I need a place to sharpen my focus, so this place is perfect. I'll get back to the leaf village, you guys go back and tell Jiji about what happened in cloud. If they plan an attack, they will do so during the final chunin exams." He was about to see them go but stopped Samui.

"I need you to stay here with me."

Samui's gaze fell flat on him, but she did not argue, or seem to care.

"Alright then, I will see you guys in a months time, so don't worry."

He watched Anko leave with a thumbs up, Soi-Fon gave a timid smile before she leapt through, but Rangiku still stood there-still in her bankai form-and stared at him, her brows knit to something mirroring quiet anger. She stepped up to him, mere inches away from his face. For a moment, the thought that she was going to slap him occurred, but instead, a smile replaced the frown, and her expression was soft once more. She gave a quick peck to his cheek, and turned about, saying, "I will kill you if you don't make it back."

And she too left.

Naruto stood there, a smile on his face. The Gargantua closed, leaving only Harribel, her Fraccion, Naruto, and Samui. "Thankyou for helping us." He said to them, but was taken back when the shaggy blond woman shook her head. "No, we have you to thank. My Fraccion are strong, but with that many people, with that strange energy, would have over come us."

"Then I guess we're even then."

Both blonds smiled, turning away from one another a moment later, Harribel and her Fraccion using sonido as they left. Naruto still stood there, Samui behind him. he turned to her, taking off his tinted goggles.

"Samui. I'm sorry you got mixed int-"

A slim fingered hand held itself to his face, quieting him.

"I don't want you're pity. Why am I here?" Her voice was cold.

"I wanted you to remain here, because I need you. If a hollow becomes too much, I need your strength."

"What makes you think I will help?"

He raised a brow to her.

"Is there any possible way you can get out of here?"

"..."

"Then I guess we're stuck together, so you better get used to it."

For once, her face changed, her brows became knit, and her nose crinkled up in anger. Her glare was heart breaking in its fury, all that rage in her, building in her, finally left as she let out a single punch against him. her knuckles slammed into his unbeknownst face, caving in the bone like it was wet tissue. The force sent him down the dunes and sand, a streak of red against a bleak background. Her furious face appeared above him, a leg strung high in preparation for a kick.

"Why!"

She screamed, her heel swiping down like an axe, breaking ribs as they crunched beneath the force that shot him into the sand. He could not move, and was going to use a familiar to aid his little plight, but she was on him a second later, standing above his broken form, a kunai in her hand. The steel came down on him, renting flesh and spraying crimson on the spiteful woman.

"Why do I have to lose everything because of _you_!"

Naruto was riddled with holes by the time her kunai got stuck, and when she tried to pull it out, it snapped in two. But she didn't stop there. She kept going. She kept hitting him, sticking him with whatever it was she had. When it was all over, all that was left was past, a smear of scarlet spread across the bleach white sand. Her chest heaved, it ached, her heart felt as though all those stabs she had inflicted on him, were inflicted on her.

She grew up in cloud, she devoted her life to it, her family, her brother and friends were there, and she was coupled with these people, who betrayed them. She hated it. Hated it. Hated it! Hated it hated it hated hated _hatedhatedhatedhatedhatedhatedhatedhated HATED IT ALL! SHE HATED_ _ **HIM**_ _!_

Silence stung, even now, she sat slumped against the form of a dead man, nothing but a bloody mess left. She hated him, she hated Naruto for what he did to her, she wanted no more than to kill him again and again. But, no, she just did that, she could no longer get revenge over and over. She could no longer go back to cloud village.

Never.

Her eyes snapped open wide, tears beginning to well up, her cold blue eyes watering as anger and fury gave way for frustration and sadness. She could never go back and see them ever again, she was forever without those she had come to know. It was all Naruto's fault.

Amongst the silence, a shadow loomed over her, great and large.

Her head turned, her tear streaked face peering up at a goliath of a monster. Its body was grayish green, huge muscles with a long spiked tail, a hole in its chest. It had a mask on, or, the mask was its face, with a huge grinning visage. Its golden yellow eyes stared down on her with a deep hunger, looming and ready to devour her.

" _Tasty tasty tasty snack! Heheheheh!_ " It spoke with a shrill, glass shattered voice, reverberating with evil.

Samui clenched her eye lids shut, her tears running down faster as she wiped them from her face. She stood, turning her body towards the beast. It was a small house sized hollow, nearly making a scene of David and Goliath between them. It really was, really, even as they stared each other in the eye, waiting for the first to make a move. And then, it there was a-

 _VWOOM!_

They moved, disappearing as they attacked, slamming into one another. The hollow was surprised that this girl could match him with mere punches, a strange energy seeming to slip into her muscles. It was unlike a hollow's Reishi, or that of a shinigami. Something different, yet the same.

Samui herself felt the strange energy emitting from the beast itself, an evil sense of deprived hunger that never ceased. That was probably why they were called hollow's. But, she did not care for this thing, she did not care for the world it lived in, or even her own. She did not care, not anymore.

The hollow sneaked a punched in, but the small meal raised its arms, blocking as he drove it back. He lashed out with his other clawed hand, grabbing her up in his large palm. He brought her to his face, and peered into the struggless woman's visage. The hollow found himself laughing at the pitying glare she gave him.

" _hahahaha, that face! My snack is going to be so savory! You've lost human!"_

Before its maw could open up, blood sprayed from its fingers, and out of its bloody hand did she leap, slicing all the way along its white face mask. It roared out, its clawed hand slapping Samui away. She pierced it though, holding on to her tanto she kept strapped to her back. It tried to squash her, bringing its pained hand down. She slipped the blade out, and grabbing a kunai, swung out just as the hand crashed into the dune below. Like a mill saw she moved, slicing up the arm towards the hollows head, lashing out with a Chakra fueled kick.

 _BAM!_

Its head snapped to the side from the force, but it didn't let her escape with that, and so it spinned about to hit her with its tail. She couldn't get out out of the way in time, taking the whipping lash of the tail full force. It launched her through the sand, renting the dunes with her body until she flipped out, sliding back with her weapons dug in the ground. The hollow stood before her, clearly displeased, but soon its tone became frustrated.

" _Finally! Man you guys are late!_ "

Samui's gaze lifted, finding several, large and small, hollows surrounding her. She watched them come closer, and was suddenly launched as one of them landed a fist against her cheek. Then another, sending her flying. They all began doing that, even when she swung her blades against them, they would keep up the onslaught. One of them finally knocked her out of the closing ring, but not too far away.

Her body felt broken, she felt welts and bruises beginning to swell, scratches and cuts riddling her body. But she stood, Samui stood despite the pain, holding herself up with all the strength she had left. They roared, and advanced on her once more, mouths wide open as they got ready to devour her limb from limb.

Movement, so fast, a flash of red, a spray of scarlet, and then he was there, mangled out before her, as if he had merely come back from the dead to receive it once more. But what's more, he was strung out, two small monsters on his left arm, holding deeply unto it, and a single large one on his right, both holding each arm straight out and across. One had teeth sunk deep into his chest and midsection, and two more at each leg, gnawing on him, red seeping between their teeth and staining Naruto and the ground. She stared at him, her cold blue eyes wide with horror, with a _terror_ never known to her before.

"W-why would-"

A pool of blood spilled from his lips, cascading down in red streaks as he coughed up spittle of crimson. His fedora and goggles were gone, already torn from him, revealing his face to the world. His large sapphire eyes-dull and grayed-staring down at her with a tiredness that befitted someone far too old, far too experienced in the world. His head lolled down, face disappearing behind golden shaggy locks. When he spoke, he sounded as old as his gaze. His tone was hollow, empty, lips speaking from the very grave itself. He said amongst the silence, this:

" _. . .run."_

Her teeth grit together, her anger returning- _not_ _at_ _him!-_ but these things. She may have lost her home, she may even _hate_ him for what happened, but...but that did not mean someone like him needed to die! His life was ending for _her!_ No, she wouldn't accept it! He was a fellow shinobi, and did not deserve this death despite what he did! But, even as she thought to help him, he must have sensed the defiance in her, speaking once more.

" _...I-I said, run."_

He urged her, but she stood, ready to strike at them, despite the agony her grinding bones caused her.

"No, I won't run away while you die! I...I may _hate you!_ But I am not a coward! I won't let you di-"

" _-run, S-samui, not them."_

She took a step back, unbidden. If not from them to run from, these beasts who hold him so close to death, then who there was there to run from, who was more terrifying in this moment to have fear in? She watched though, watched as his head slowly lifted to meet her gaze. What she saw, what she felt, from him then, from the gaze-and what a force it held behind it- _was_ far more terrifying than the hollows.

His eyes were slit and scarlet, much like the blood covering his lips and body and the ground. From those lips poked out fangs, each coated with his own blood. But within his face, she could see, the phantom of a great beast, not the Kyuubi, no, something else. It pierced her with his glowing eyes of the dead, it gnawed at her with those razor teeth, constructed from the very essence of a behemoth, ready to devour the world in all its entirety with a single snap of its gaping maw. And his voice, when he did speak, despite the chewing teeth that spilled more of his life blood, was ragged. It was graveled, it held within it heart ache and a fury beyond her own. It sounded as though someone was grounding glass against her ear, like that of a wraiths keening scream as it devoured its prey. His words, in that great and terrible voice of his, was this:

" _R-run away Samui...not from them. **Run away, RUN AWAY FROM ME!"**_

Scarlet light exploded out, sending her flailing back as a weight gathered around the hollows, burning and scorching them as it continued to build. Naruto clenched his fist and brought the arm with the two smaller hollows to his face. They tried to let go of his arm and back away, but he grabbed them both by the ankle, swinging both of them like a bat into the face of the one on his other arm. They screeched in pain as both his arms were free. The others leapt back, leaving the two in his white knuckled hands. Naruto twisted and snapped their ankles, and stomped on their heads, crushing them.

With both hands free, Naruto turned to the last few hollows, his eyes burning crimson, left with only his ripped pants. He set his gaze towards one, and disappeared. They all snapped their heads to the side as one of the large ones screeched, a fist through its gut. Naruto leapt up, kicking the hollow across the chin, and a loud snap echoed, heralding its death.

A cloud fell over Naruto as he stood atop the fallen beast, from those bleak havens, shadowing him, darkening his visage, with all but his eyes left to glow in the gloom, a visage of death. No, he _was_ death. If so, they were in his valley, they were in his shadow. They were in in the shadow of the valley of _death._ Death tilted its head to the side, and spoke.

" _ **None of you will escape."**_

After that, the only thing that could be heard were the screeching sounds of a hollow after hollow died, consumed by the raging beast that Naruto had become, of the death machine that wirrled about with undying fury. Blood sprayed the ground, nothing remained as he consumed them. The dying ones had one last look into the sky above, and noted with final breath, that it was as bleak as their sealed fate.

 _This isn't right, we were supposed to be the eaters, not the eaten!_

This was the thought of the hollow who had tried to devour the blond woman, and had chewed on Deaths side. But now he limped away, a mangled leg a ball and chain to him. of course, he could heal, regenerate. But not when they were being slaughtered like cattle, penned together even in this hopeless expanse. He could not regenerate in time, to run. Not soon enough. He needed time, time he did not have.

Something pierced his shattered foot, making him scream in agony. He knew, then and there, he was a goner, that he was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it. Another piercing thing shot into his other foot, forcing him to lie against the sand, face planted with gnashing teeth.

" _ **Apologize."**_

The hollow's head turned, seeing the face of the devil itself. His face was no longer a viscous snarl or an angry fury, it was just that of a determined beast, teasing its meal.

" _W-what-AACH!_ "

Some black tendril, like the two piercing his feet, pinned his hand now too.

" _ **I said, 'apologize.' I can keep this up all day."**_

" _I-I I'm-AAH!_ "

Another jet black tendril pierced his other hand.

" _I'm sorry!_ "

Tears began to spill from its yellow eyes, a shadow looming over it now. Naruto popped his neck on one side, then the other, his eyes wide and crazed with hunger.

" _ **Since you decided to to eat us, I guess you won't mind, if I eat you?**_ "

Naruto leaned down, opening his razor maw. His fangs sank deep into the hollow, ripping out from it a large chunk of flesh. He chewed even as blood- _this_ _hollow's_ _blood_ -spilled down his lips. The last thing it ever did hear, was a single, large-

 _Gulp_

Samui had watched the whole thing, the blood shed, the devouring of hollows. This was not defending her. This was not anything close to protecting life. They saw the look in his eyes and tried to run, to escape. This, this was murder. This whole thing, it was a massacre. But...she knew too well what would happen if they escaped. She knew they would return when they were unprepared and weak, and devour them just the same as he had to them, the situation much the same if she let an enemy shinobi run.

A figure appeared from the dunes, the humanoid shape that of Naruto. He strode towards her with large gaping strides, not a speck of blood on his form, in fact, there were no injuries from before, not a scar or anything of the like. Samui watched him with a drained expression, her eyes regarding him with slight fear. How could someone like that, even without his weapons, do something so animalistic to another living thing, and yet he himself was walking like any other man. No. He _is_ a beast, he is the monster, forced to stand on human bones and wrapped with the flesh and skin of man. Naruto was-

"Hey."

Samui jumped at his voice, calm and concerned, as if all that occurred never did. He rested on a knee-half squated-placing an arm across the other knee. He had his scarlet trench-coat on, but left the fedora and goggled glasses off. His saw cleaver was wrapped and strapped to his back as well, everything back in order, as if nothing happened.

"What are you?" Samui asked, peering into the only thing that had not gone back to normal, those pair of scarlet slits that he called eyes.

He blinked, but they remained, as if he could not turn them off.

"Best not to acknowledge it."

"_your eyes are the same, they are still red."

"Huh, well nothing I can do about it then."

A pause of silence.

"...are you okay?"

When she didn't answer, he raised a hand to her cheek, which she slapped away. She glared, but he ignored it, lifting his hand to her face once more. When she tried to smack him, he absently raised a hand to block her. When his other tried to touch her face, she tried to block it, but a black mass of flesh that was his familiars held her hand down. She tried to squirm, but he simply allowed more of that mass out from the dark fold of his cloak, holding the rest of her down, completely immobilizing her. His hand finally touched her face, but she bit it, drawing blood. Naruto didn't flinch.

"You are a strong woman, Samui. Two ribs are broken, a tendon in your right arm has snapped. Even your hip has been fractured. The only reason you could stand is because of what very little Chakra you have left, that, and largely because of your will to fight."

His face came close to hers, but he dare not let her bite him. she spat out at him, but he didn't do anything to stop it. He knew what she thought of him. He knew what she was going through, because for the past decade and so, his village treated him not as a messiah for saving them from the rage of Kyuubi, by allowing it to live in him, but of the pariah, an outcast and traitor on the very day he was born. So, being spat on, meh, been through worse, even by her. The past aside, he dipped his head from her cheek, to her neck, his lips next to her ear.

"Even if I get you to a hospital now, and they place a cast on your damaged body, you will never fight the same again." His whisper, although calm, chilled her. "So, I'm offering something for you, you will have your fighting ability back, and if you can make what I give you, your own strength-and after all this war is over-you can kill me, and I won't even bat an eye."

Something stirred in her, the desire for that which he spoke of. She felt it now, the agonizing separation of bone and the splintered fractures. The cuts and bruises didn't help either, riddling her body an angry purple and red. But, to give in to him, to give in to what _he_ said. Pride begged and screamed that she not listen or heed him, but her mind, sharp as ever, knew better than to listen to prejudice and pride.

A nod was all she could give.

"I'll be gentle then."

Softly, he opened his mouth, curling back his lips to release his shark-like fangs. The tips poked against her skin, sliding into her jugular. Blood began to seep past his fangs, and he drank as much as he did need. Unbidden, Samui felt a blush creep across her face, from his words or what he was doing, she did not know, but she focused on the bleak sky above, to this bleak fate she was subject to.

He finally got off of her, and when he stood, she almost immediately felt better. She felt her face, and could tell that no more cuts were there. Her body no longer ached of bruises, and even her bones felt as though they were healing, coming back to where they should. She tried to stand, stumbled, and was to fall, but was caught by Naruto. Her gaze lifted to him, and found it to be a stern one, no longer gentle. He set her straight on her feet, and spoke.

"When those bones of yours are fully healed in a few hours, we will train and not stop for a full month. Best that you rest till then, 'else you will regret it. From here on, there will be no mercy, no surrender. As shinobi, we will take any advantage we can, and use it against our foe, same for each other. We will become strong, and that boost in Reiyuko I gave you should help."

Samui understood, nodding, knowing what he had in store for them would be hellish training, if the inhabitants of the land were anything to go by. But, she had to ask one thing.

"What is Reiyuko?"

 **A/N**

 **Hey hey guys! Hope ya liked the chapter, and the early update!**

 **So, Samui is basically stuck with Naruto, and is pretty much a 'traitor' for not warning A. Though, if ya haven't noticed, she has had no control over that, so that leaves one thing, A is planning something, or was, in the first place. They have been known for trying to steal other Jinjuriki, even the tailed beasts inside, but I won't say for what his master plan was, not yet.**

 **Oh, and the whole thing with biting her, yah, Naruto did not make her a familiar, instead, its more significant that, instead, he bit her. He could have made her a familiar, and healed her up, released her and so on. But instead, she is basically what Saras from Hellsing is, a fledgling. And, giving her a kick start in Reiyuko, he is basically setting her up to become like him, a mix of human and shinigami. Reason why, well, she is a jonin level, and could stand up against a single strong hollow well enough, but several? No, so he's gonna help her get stronger.**

 **Someone asked if the cloud and leaf are at war, not yet sir, not yet, A will keep it a secret, of what happened, and attack when he can.**

 **Also, thank you Danny, someone who dropped a review about people saying this is a cliche. I don't respond to the people that complain without giving advice, so what you said-and because I can't private message you-i thank you.**

 **Okay, done talking now, shutting up, see ya guys next time, leave a review or PM.**

 **Bye and have a good day!**

 **:^)**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

A Swap of Place

It had nearly been a single month, a single month of time of when Samui 'killed' him and he saved her, making her a fledgling of sorts. She had good skills for taking in the information concerning the shinigami and the spiritual particles, how the worked and were implemented. She surprised him one morning when she mentioned that it was a lot like Chakra, an energy they used to the things they could do, to strengthen them or use it in other ways. Even going as far as say that a portion of Reiyuko seemed to go into what they used Chakra for. He nodded to that, seeing that she was advancing well, though it could be attributed that she was a jonin, and a very focused one in the first place, making her strength go by leaps and bounds.

He was concerned though, how would they go about getting her a zanpakuto, because it wasn't like they had an asauchi lying 'round. But, who knew, from what he could come up with, an asauchi was basically the starter pack for _helping_ someone get a zanpakuto. A zanpakuto is essentially the 'potential' spiritual power one had, and the manifestation was that of someone who represented that. So, if at some point, Samui found the voice of her manifestation that was her 'potential,' then that would mean his theory was right, and she would have a zanpakuto.

But it was a theory, however thought out it was.

Regardless, it was almost time for them to reenter the world of shinobi, hopefully end a potential war, and everything would be okay. Well, he did say Samui could kill him after they defeated Aizen and his Arrancar army, so...bah, that would be a ways away from now. Though, despite knowing she was going to kill him, that was not what frightened him about her. It was that determination of hers, she was scary in that focused aspect, showing more emotion than before with every strike she made against the hollows she killed-those foolish enough to attack them.

He watched her now, shadow boxing, her feet spinning her and throwing her about as she moved far faster than before, when she was completely human. Now, her fists could obliterate those large pillars, a single kick would take four more. She seemed to notice his staring, and glared through that stoic glance. She leapt up next to one of those pillars, large as a sky scraper, and chopped it with outstretched fingers. The stone cracked upwards and across from her strike, the sound of thunder rolling as it suddenly snapped in fourths, torn asunder by a strike, waning under its own weight.

Samui lifted her leg, a round kick splitting it further, large chunks of its stone flesh tearing from the heavens. Then, her body became a blur, fast, faster than before, grease lightning was her form as she went about into the sky, slamming her feet and fists against each chunk, never slowing, never stopping as they were shattered, broken to powder, and even then she still went on and on.

Then, she when could be seen by normal eyes once more-if there would to be any there to do so. Her hair had grown out, long waves of gold locks. She stood amongst the tallest of talls, to the heaven. If now she were to sprout wings from her back, with that wind tossing her hair about like a halo, one could have called her an angel.

But she descended like the devil.

She pressed forth with an aura of ice, her Reishi gathering around her, sending her careening down like a shooting star, so fast, ever faster that even Naruto nearly lost sight of her blurring form. Then, the ground, it came a rushing, rushing _her_ , as if to make her pay attention and pull away from certain death. But she did not, no not by any certain means, did she ever feel fear for that. Why, for what reason would she, for instead, she stared on, as if into oblivion.

Naruto knew what she was doing, even as she-from a hairs breath away-angled up, shooting towards and across the span of space between them. Suddenly, she was there before him, fist raised, as if to obliterate and shatter him, his skull to be blown to chunks. He did not dodge, no, he would not ever back down, and instead he took the force. He did not block, he made no attempt to raise a hand to do so. Instead, his face took the white knuckles even as he was thrown from the clenched fist.

Thank goodness for Reishi and its protective abilities.

In but a moment later, she appeared and rounded him with a kick to his gut, but before she could use flash-step, he grabbed hold even as they still were driven by force across the air. Naruto twisted-no intention to break her leg-so that her whole form spun about, face slamming into the sand, renting it like the prong of a spinning tiller. Her other leg came to save her soon enough though, knocking him aside the face, to which he had to relinquish his hold against her lest she strike more. They separated, dashed into the sands, standing guard against one another.

"How many times do I have to tell you, don't watch me train." Samui told, her voice cold as ever.

"How many times do I have to tell _you._ I will watch you train if I want to." His voice, cheeky as ever.

Her fists clenched tight, her Reishi flaring as her temper waned. Living in a strange and unforgiving world as this with the very man she despised brought out more and more of her emotions, and it was slowly bringing her out of her stoicism. Naruto watched as ice began to spread from her sandaled feet, suddenly streaking towards him. Naruto's eyes widened, but he did not lose his cool, instead, he pointed it out to her, even as shards of ice broke up from the ground.

"That's new."

Samui glared harder at him, but finally took a breath of calm. Her eyes regarded the ice at last, and raised a brow to it, clearly new to her as well. "That is new, but..." as she spoke it began to shatter, melting as she let her will slip from her Reishi. Could it be an ability from the power she was gifted by him, this strange spirit energy the death gods held, shinigami?

Most likely, those strange bunch.

They decided to investigate that ice later on, resigning to a nearby cave they nestled in near the beginning of the month. It was there that they sat, him in the crest of rock on one side, and her under the nook on the other side. They spoke little, the feeling of hatred in her seeming to arise a barrier between them, even after he saved her on the fist day here. How could he blame her though? Was he not the one that that Aizen was after, if he had never gone to the land of lightning, the incident would never have happened. If he wasn't so prideful of his own speed and so angry with Rangiku at the time, he would not have gone. But, he knew that it really wasn't his fault, there was no way he could have predicted what happened. Maybe she too knew it, perhaps Samui knew fate was so cruel that the only way she could let out that frustration was to hate and scowl at him. Hmm, he'd have to do something about that.

But for now, they rested, because they would have to leave in the morning.

Samui had starkly closed her eyes and suddenly she found her mind planted deep rooted inside a world she found familiar and frightening at the same time. It was here she stood amongst the frozen ruin, large spires erected from the shelled apartments and shops, restaurants encased like Bastille's. The great arks of chilled ice over lapped towards a singular centerfold of crystal, as if spider webbed to that single point.

Her village, cloud, had become an ice kingdom, and its source that reverberated within its folds of snow, emanated with a smooth pulse as cool and calm as a placid mirroring lake, was the Raikages office. Samui felt the tinge of melancholy take her, the thought that everyone was dead and gone, her team and family, her friends too. But she was smarter than that, she snapped her mental jaws against those thoughts, biting them down till they were nary but a prick against her-being nothing to her.

Her gaze shifted when she felt the strangest thing she would ever feel. Up went her eyes of ice-as cold as that which surrounded her-and found a forlorn distant figure, a white wraith in the distant of her gaze. She held it as without regard at first, her mind chalking it up to the swirling of the snow that blistered the land and her 'village,' but her mind could not forgo the gut feeling, that this thing she looked upon with baleful and scrutinized eyes, was more than that of mere snow circulating.

On one hand, although she found herself assured that this was a mere dream, but on the other, she wanted to know what that thing was, a deep seeded craving that startled her so. Soon enough, the blond konoichi found herself already leaping across the slick spires, flying through the air as if possessed. She wanted, no, she felt a burning _desire_ to see the thing she saw up close, to know what it could possibly be, to see what lay beneath the blurring lines of this icy prison.

Samui stopped, out against the tearing winds, standing on a bed of Reiatsu she gathered below her feet.

"So new, so fresh, Laden Snow. Yet here you stand at the precipice, a mere human, and yet something other. That man who broke upon the barrier, you who despise him, was gifted strength. Tell me, silent, Laden Snow, what is it that you seek?"

Samui stared on at this being, who's dress, pure, white-as if bleached for a hundred fold over-and staring on into her face with soft eyes. What started Samui into a worry most was that this very being looked ever close to her own face.

"I want _him_ dead." She answered with conviction.

A trill of chiming laughter escaped the woman's lips on hearing that, and looked on to the distance below, to her kingdom of ice and snow.

"Do you not see the depth of that snow? The high rises of spires that sprawl out before me? This kingdom is mine, shining, despite its exterior. Much like you, Laden Snow, it is cold and without warmth, but it is beautiful, and if someone, who sets a fire of rebellion in you, cracks us, there _is_ warmth there, just beneath the ice."

Samui cocked her head to the side, having that bit of inkling to what the woman spoke of. If-and that was a huge _if_ -what she was hearing and interpreting was right, then this spirit meant that she liked Naruto, despite her initial dislike and her fore frontal hatred for what happened a month ago. If this was right, and the slight titter of laughter from the snow spirit was right, then she was currently scowling.

"If you are what I think you are, then you should know why I hate him."

"If you find that as truth, then you should be truthful, even if you want to deny it such thoughts."

Samui glared, and turned her head away to what she knew as her zanpakuto spirit.

"Hm hm hm," it giggled, "at the very least, let me tell you my name, so that maybe you will come to know your people once more, as this too, Laden Snow, is also you're desire."

The blond woman's head snapped back to her zanpakuto spirit, eyes wide with shock and joy, but soon they settled back down to that stoic stare. "Are you saying that I-" a nod before she could finish. Then, if there was no way else that she could be with her village, then by taking up this power, she may be able to be once more with them-with friends and family.

"So, you have chosen to know me. Then, speak my name, and become stronger with my power."

As this went on, across the cave, Naruto was in his own inner world, but instead of it being that with walter-just to keep the name short-he was inside the seal, once more ankle deep in water, the sewer, the cement, all around him. Even now he stood there, in that large room, before those gates, that cage barring Kyuubi's escape. He had not considered the fact that he could merely remove the seal to let her out, that thought finally occurring to him, but at the time he was just a dense child. Now, however, he knew better than to put someone so powerful in a gigai, it would break. Regardless of his own stupidity, Naruto walked up to the bars, a smile as gentle as can be etched into his cheeks.

"Oh, so you haven't forgotten me then." Kyuubi's voice seemed more annoyed than angry.

"Sorry, I've been bouncing here and there."

"Peh, petty excuses, human." She turned away, humphing. She was a bit mad at him for what he'd done, going off and about, ignoring her without opening a conversation, even when he was all alone at times. But, even as she tried to ignore him this time, she found her scarlet slitted eyes sliding back towards him.

"Oh don't get all humphy, I'll make it up to ya."

"How's you gonna do that, huh." She arched a brow at him, but soon, both brows shot to her hair line as he stood in the air, to the seal went his hand. Though, when he tried to peel it down, a white fluid formed all across that arm, swirling around his limb with needles forming, elongating, with each inch he pulled. What was that stuff anyway? Why did it grow those spikes, ready to pierce him as soon as he pulled that last lip of seal?

"Wait!" Kyuubi's voice erupted up from her standing, just as the needles threatened to lunge into his arm.

Naruto slid his calm gaze down to her concerned one.

"It'll hurt you! Won't it?! So just...just leave me in here!" She screamed, but too late, realizing that he was dead set on releasing her.

Naruto ripped the piece off, and immediately the needles of white slung deep into his whole arm, tearing into sinew and muscle, edging to his very bone, slipping into his marrow. Blood was eaten by the white, taking it in with great gulps as it went even further still. Naruto felt the pain, but stared on as the gates were lifted, unflinching to what others would throw themselves to the ground and beg death to. This thing that latched itself to him, which spread across his shoulder and upper back, eclipsing ever onto towards his other arm, covering it too, was nothing compared to what he'd been through already.

When all settled down, what was left to bare, was a casing of white with ruins of black and red etched to him. On each hand was a set of claws, sharp and deadly, easily capable of ripping into flesh and rendering bone to brittle dust. A mask, fox like with the same scarlet and black ruins running down its white surface, appeared out of the thin air. The white of his eyes were now black, and scarlet slits were now golden slits.

He looked ever bit of a beast and of death and that of a terrifying monster.

Kyuubi came rushing out of the open space now, bowling into Naruto's chest-yet not able to knock him over. She held him tightly, and nestled her face into him. When she raised her eyes to meet his, she found that his gaze was out stretched to the black bleak distance. Looking at him now, the stoicism and calm he held chilled her, though he was ever a sight to see. Was a he man or beast, a fusion and mix, ever so taller than her human form, standing a few heads taller, looming ever onward, forever a creature of destruction?

When he let his gaze idle down to her, she found that she nearly leapt form her spot next to him, seeing a wrath hidden behind those dark golden orbs. Somehow, he laughed, a jovial hardy laugh that even she found strange. With and errant hand swiping it away with red and black Reishi dissipating with it, the mask flaked into nothingness, though still did the clawed hands and arms remain after. Holding her tightly, wrapping her in his big strong arms, Naruto leaned down, an inch of a hairs breath from her face.

"Lets go home, Kyuubi-chan."

Tai Harribel sat huddled in a cave corner, all alone. She stared down into the bleak, dark, ground, her emerald eyes just the same, void of anything. Her once stoic and strong face was now blank, downcast, thinking of letting her mind escape to madness, and to forever be done with life. Her once pure white jacket and hakama pants, the glory folds of cloth for all Espada members, was in tatters, shredded and thread bare, black spots stained them from a large scuffle, red blotting them even more so, reduced to nothing more, to this, this shadow of its former self.

Much the same went for the former tres Espada leader.

She remembered it, the events so quick yet recorded long in her mind, etched into her inner eyelids, so that every time she closed her eyes, the scene played out. No, even now, eyes half lidded with sorrow and such melancholy, she could still see in her minds eye what occurred about a month ago, upon their failed mission, their return to Los Noches.

Harribel could still see their faces.

She could still see the horrored shock.

The hatred.

The _betrayal._

 _The zanpakuto!_

 _The blood!_

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"**

Harribel screamed bloody murder! Then and now did her lungs exert such a cry heavenward that even the mightiest would flee from, even as tears welled and streamed down her face, large globs of wet washing down as her breath ripped out into the air!

" **Hate!"** The word barely that of human countenance, beastly and gruff did it shoot out like a cero, heated and destructive. Her voice slung such a sound that any hollow close ran for its life, and those who could not hear, they did shutter at the intense feeling that washed over several miles.

" **Kill! _Kill!_ " **She bellowed out, her fist slamming into the side stone of the cavern, the whole lip of it and cavern downward, fissured, breaking and exploding out in bits of dust, never to be anymore. Harribel did not care, not for anything, or anyone, anymore. No, that was an outright _lie_ , she cared for one thing in all the rest of her life, the last thing she ever planned to do, till death, but she would not go without having his head, not without his blood splattered across the ground and forever for _him_ to be gone.

" ** _Aizen! Will! DIE!"_**

And a gold aura, her Reishi like a yellow inferno, formed and rippled. She turned her head towards where Los Noches was, her emerald glare glinting with that burning hatred for that single man she once would have called _sama._ But now she spat the name like venom, ready to stomp his head into paste.

But she knew that he was too strong for her still, the gap somehow still wide.

Her build-up of Reishi dissipated, the weight that settled over the land ceased, but always was there hatred in her eyes. She knew that if she was going to defeat Aizen, there was only one way she could do so, only one other man who could possibly help her in this endeavor to slay that venomous snake. She closed her eyes, turning to a single large pull she felt in her mind, and headed straight for him, sonido at her feet.

"Please, help me avenge my comrades, Naruto."

Naruto's eyes snapped open, crimson slits falling on a mess of red hair and nine bushy tails. She still wore that black tank top and green pair of shorts, making the nine tailed fox look quite adorable. Her porcelain skin was soft, absolutely to the touch, but beneath such pillowly flesh lay muscles as hard as granite, cords of steel, strength that even now, with all his abilities and powers, found that she would still decimate him.

His thoughts were broken when her head shifted beneath his gaze-though she was atop him-and watched as his crimson slits met scarlet. That gaze of hers shinned a brilliant color, vibrant and glowing with a happy quirk of the lips. She pressed her head to his temple, letting her lips briefly touch his, chaste in her affectionate kiss.

"N-Naruto! Who is that!"

Both red eyed beast-like people turned their gaze unto Samui, who's face was screwed up in slight confusion.

"Hey~" Kyuubi greeted, winking.

Samui's hair raised as a chill shivered down her spine, but a calm breath allowed her to save face and be stoic once more.

"This," Naruto told, sitting up, holding Kyuubi to his chest, "is the nine tailed fox, Kyuubi-chan."

Samui took a deeper breath in this time, and exhaled.

"Fuck you and this weird stuff you get into."

She abruptly stood, and began to head for the mouth of the cave, but a clanking at her side formed a question upon Naruto's lips.

"What's that?"

She froze, a sigh, and grasped the handle of her zanpakuto, pulling it out of its sheath. Turning around, showing that it was with the normal look of a katana. She placed it horizontal to the ground, and quickly swiped her hand across its sheen surface.

"Awaken, and turn all creation to ice, *Aisuninfu.*"

A flash of light brilled from its surface, encompassing it as she swiped her hand, and upon her palms passing, it changed into what appeared to be a long sword. From tip to guard, it was around four feet in length, a fuller down the middle. The guard was straight with a single hook on each end, and the leather bound handle, there too was a good foot in length, was normal considering what it appeared to be. But, it was what this sword had at its pommel that set it apart. It appeared as the head of a great white wolf, two glowing red eyes glaring, the snarling visage truly frightening to the eye.

"This is my zanpakuto, Naruto Uzimaki, with it, I shall become the next kage in the land of lightning, of the village hidden in the clouds." She raised that sword to him, the point tipped to his head. "And maybe, for what happened a month ago, I shall forgive you. But, you have to get me back there when this war between that Aizen man is finished. Are we clear?"

Naruto stood, a grand smile on his face.

"Yes mam!" He bellowed, saluting her. She halted and froze to that, but soon her body laxed, realizing that Naruto was going to do as Naruto was going to do. She turned about and stared into the bleakness of Hueco Mundo.

Naruto watched as she did so, knowing that she had definitely, finally, met her zanpakuto spirit, and that perhaps they changed her perspective. She was at least saying she did not hate him, so, there was that. Regardless of the change, he stood with Kyuubi at his side, almost clinging to him as they all exited the cave. It was then that Samui got a good look at Naruto, or more specifically, his hands-now claws. She was going to comment on it, but decided against it, reminding herself that Naruto's weirdness would just pull in more strange things-her included it seemed.

"Well, I guess its time we headed back to Konoha guys, we have some planning to do."

With that, out of the air itself, bared a lip, it opened up its maw, and two worlds were linked for that short time. Just before they stepped through to the shinobi world, however, Naruto heard something...off. The lip closed and he turned, head swiveling to find the strange noise. It sounded like a cry, as if someone were calling for help-no-it was more they were crying for someone close.

"You hear it too, don't you?" Kyuubi asked, fox ears twitching as she let go of his arm.

"It sounds like a-" his eyes widened, fury burning in them.

Dust and sand erupted out from beneath his feet, trench coat billowing behind him as he rushed towards the cry of something he hoped against. Something he had not her for many years. This cry, light toned and undoubtedly tear filled, was that of a small child's. This sound heralded his wrath, for he himself had cried just the same when villagers attacked him.

Sparks flew, he brushed the strange weapon away, gathering some green shape, and shunpo sped him up into the air. Out of harms way, Naruto looked at the little girl gathered in his arms. A little goat mask with a fissure on one side was the first thing he saw, then light green hair, with olive eyes wet with great globs of tears, streaking down red cheeks with a red line across her button nose. Her small ragged dress was as green as grass as well, like a potato sack.

"P-please, mmm-mister, save them-" her tiny voice cried as a shaking hand pointed as best it could to two hollows, one large as a mammoth, the other scrawny as a stick and more human, both riddled with gashes. Then, his eyes snapped towards a tall man in white, looking much like a spoon with that huge collar of his, an eye patch over his eye. His weapon looked like two crescent moons, facing away with a pole connecting them.

"Kage Bushin No Jutsu." His voice struggled to keep that eerie calm as a clone poofed next to him, Naruto trading off the little girl to the clone who wore the same glare.

"W-wait! Mister!"

Naruto stopped, turned.

"What's...w-what's your name?"

"Naruto Uzimaki, what's yours?" His voice constrained the anger, and opted for a sweet calm tone.

"N-Nel." She choked out, tears in her eyes.

"Nel, Nel listen. I do not know if I can save your friends, but I can make that man down there pay for what he did. Do you want that."

Nel's little head turned to the fallen forms of her friends, then to Nnoitra, a glare in her eyes.

"Yes." her voice trembled with the fore thought of what she just asked. If this man could kill spoon man down there, then what she just asked-to what she knew-was signing the death warrant for her friend's killer.

Naruto nodded sagely, head snapping down to once more glare at the man. He didn't rightly know what was going on, or why, but no child should be harmed, no one so young should have to deal with such a punishment. And because of that, Naruto was not holding back, all but releasing that last resort to form the giant dead fox.

So, with heated glare, Naruto allowed all but his slacks to be made undone by the familiars, leaving him bare chested, the hollow substance shining as he grasped both his weapons. The spoon man was very shocked that this man could have both powers of a shinigami and hollow-that feel steaming off of him in waves, retaining both in such a mix that it was hard to distinguish between the two. But what surprised him more, was when he held both weapons in one hand, and with a clawing motion, formed a hollow mask.

Two large fox ears bent back in anger, the protrusions of the snout and teeth baring out before him. Golden slitted eyes, cornered with black, gleamed a malice that sent shivers down the enemies spine. Nnoitra frowned, but grew a grin seconds later, raising his weapon to the sky, then back behind.

Before he could move, however, a static boom sounded.

Movement, a flash of bone white and scarlet, sand greeting his back, pain in his weapon arm, everything painful, a cleaver embedded between the loss of his limb. It was all so fast and all so encompassing, it took him a moment to realize what occurred, a moment of speed and pain and a loss, that was all it took, and before him stared a man- _beast!_ -whose eyes were that of pure death, glaring down at him. the hollow mask parted, a reverberating sound like breaking glass, deep as the vast sands of Hueco Mundo, sounded in his ears.

" _ **Pitiful Espada. I see the terror in your eye, I like that look. So maybe, just for one such as yourself, I will not kill you."**_

That sentence did little to aid his rising horror, instead, it only excited it.

" _ **No, you will suffer endlessly, a great gnashing of teeth shall be yours, you shall know no light, only my infinite darkness, that is all that will consume you. Endless, eternal, oblivion! Now, dear familiar, let us begin the process of your true pain!"**_

Wide did those jagged jaws of death open, snapping down and gobbling the spoon man, the pain of being devoured alive was a burning one, blood that splattered the ground itself was then against sucked back into this monsters gullet by some unseen force of darkness. And then, all that the fifth Espada knew was darkness and madness, insanity pervading his mind, pain and pain and pain, eternal and forever, an oblivion to be, just as the blond fox, that beast and monster, so much like them, yet so different, had foretold.

With that, Naruto stood, releasing his mask, and attempted to aid Nel's dying friends.

In the end of his efforts, all Naruto could do was stir them, with the knowledge of healing jutsu he had, it was the best he could muster. When they awoke, still dying, they looked to him, Nel at his side. The skinny one reached out, caressing her cheek.

" _N-Nel..."_ A rough cough erupted from his throat, so the other large hollow spoke up instead.

" _Please, do not cry."_ His gaze shifted with sluggish laxity towards the blond red eyed man. _"Even if you could save us, don't. Nel stays here in this terrible world because of us, so please, take her with you. Treat her well, stranger."_ Now even he began to cough, their wounds opening with each haggard breath. When they could once more control their hoarse voices, they lifted their hands towards Nel, eyes bleak with the barest hint of hope stagnant in their golden eyes. Then, before they disappeared into an unknown, bodies becoming Reiatsu and flying away by unseen winds, they spoke as one.

" _Nellel. Be. Brave. . . ."_

Then, they were gone, forever.

Nel reached out for their hands, that were not there.

Nel leapt from the blonds presence for the sand that her friends were at, but they were already gone.

Nel buried her face deep into the sand as her tears sprung anew, her cry heard, but never by them again.

Nel lifted her head up towards the bleak sky of Hueco Mundo, and somehow, rain began to pelter the land, wiping her tears away even as they came out.

"I-It isn't, It isn't f-fair! It's not fair! Why! IT'S NOT _FAAAAIR!_ _AAAAAAAAAAAAHH, aaaaaaahhaaaa!_ " Nel wailed out in a great voice, the fury and sadness, the fear- _terror_ -and the encompassing hopelessness filling her chest, spreading out to every part of her. Her broken heart, cried out for her friends, her family, her brothers, but they never could heed the call, not anymore.

Then, in the middle of her shattered wail, a set of arms wrapped themselves around her, holding her, embracing her. She never turned, never wanted to see, never wanted to know, but she did know, who it was who comforted her in this time of sadness. When-after a long time of crying out-her lungs were spent, throat raw, a hoarse gasp was all her tired little body could do. In the midst of her mind, as her eyes began to wane and fall and she was to sleep from her screams and cries, she felt a gentle lift as her body was gathered up, swaddled and draped, comforted by the strange man in a crimson trench coat.

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys, so, some sad stuff, Harribel's team and then Nel's being killed by spoon man. If you wonder why stuff is going a little early for that, wait till next chapter, Naruto explains some of what happened.**

 **Oh, and I did the translations for certain things, thus Samui's sword name-Game of Thrones sword-having the ** around it so I could reference what it was down here.**

 ***Aisuninfu- Ice Nymph**

 **It kinda makes sense with her favorite word being 'cool' and all. And since i'm doing this, might as well do one for Naruto's then Rangiku's bankai.**

 **NAUTO-**

 **Hocho O Mimashita-saw cleaver**

 _ **Suta Suraisa- star slicer**_

 **Dojina Hito-strange gun**

 _ **Burasuto-blast**_

 **Deddo Seishin Kai-dead spirit release**

 **RANGIKU-**

 **Moeru Haineko-blazing ash cat.**

 **Thought you guys might wanna know, just for shits and giggles, but anyway, hope ya enjoyed the chapter, and I will see you guys later, have a great day!**

 **:^)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys, been pretty satisfied with this fic thus far, got some good advise, good practice, and have increased my writing skills, even though there is improvement that needs be. My editing too, but, even masters of writing always try to make the best they can, so, I am too, even if at times I am a terrible writer.**

 **Anyways, I've had lots of fun with you guys and doing this, it really is, an I appreciate everyone of you, and i'm not excluding anyone from that gratitude. From those who are honest, those who drop questions, to even flamers. All of you are just, awesome. I know it's weird to thank people that even hate on my writing, but you know, that just means I have to try harder and write better.**

 **I know I probably sound like i'm gonna drop out of this fic or something else that sounds bad or whatever, but I promise, I won't do such a thing. I know you guys really do appreciate my stuff, so, I just decided to drop a thank you to everyone who's been here so far, you guys really are awesome, the whole lot of ya :^)**

 **Okay, with that said, I would like to say that in the next few chapters, Risen, will be done. That may be three, or six, I don't know, depends on the flow, but I promise, this will be a work I can say i'm proud of, with the people I wrote it for-thats you guy's-always at the forefront of my mind, comments, views, PM's and all.**

 **So, done with my thankyou's and such, let's get the ball roll'in. Naruto gets to show his skills and powers, new and old, as he demonstrates his crafty mind. The village hidden in the clouds, the shinobi nations, Seireitei, Hueco Mundo, and the whole of everything just gets a wonderful wake up call.**

 **Grand adventure and action awates!**

 **Stuff shifts and Harribel catches up with Naruto!**

 **Warning!**

 **I!**

 **OWN!**

 _ **NOTHING!**_

Chapter 20

The Great Gamble, or, How to Fool all Worlds

 _shits go'in down!_

Naruto exited Hueco Mundo from his Gargantua, a little bundle of green wrapped in his crimson trench-coat, snoring as she slept from the recent ordeal. He pitied her, seeing as her friends were gone, that she would never see them again, but, he made a promise to the fallen hollow duo, that he would take care of Nel, protect her and make sure she was happy.

And he never went back on promises.

Samui was just ahead of him, as if she were leading the way towards the leaf village gates, sword sheathed at her side. What a strange weapon it was, ice nymph, but it made sense, her favorite word was 'cool' after all, so, meh. But, then he wondered, if she had an elemental type-ice obviously-then what there for was his?

Thoughts for later.

Kyuubi walked with him, arms wrapped about his arm, holding and cooing, happy to be free at last, and to be with someone she watched grow up. Maybe, maybe in an alternate time, she should have pulled him in and taught him things, been more kind. But, then again, until she met him, she had grown to hate all human's-except a certain sage whom treated her with kindness.

Kyuubi slid her eyes to the side, watching Nel snore, cute as a button that. She had been through a lot, and not just recently, Kyuubi could feel it in her tails, this little one was something else all together, she had to be. But, as she thought this, she could sense something from the large cut and gap that strung across Nel's mask that caught her attention. There, she smelt something, almost as if-

"Halt!"

They stopped at the gates, two men-shinobi-having stopped them. They eyed Samui, who grasped the handle of her sword, and then their eyes fell to Kyuubi, and backed away with fear brewing in their eyes.

"N-no, you, you can't be-"

"B-but h-how-"

Kyuubi cocked her head to the side, long fox ears tilted that way, her large scarlet slitted gaze peering at them with much curiosity, nine bushy tails swaying behind with a gentle sway. They stopped quivering at that, and found themselves regarding her not in fear, but with their own curiosity. Then they spotted Naruto, her arms wrapped around him, and both blew a sigh of slight relief.

"Oh thank the good log god*." One said, the other nodding.

"Is that really the nine tails?" The other asked, wondering how something so vicious before, could be a cute girl now, him and his gate keeping friend watching as they began passing through. But, before they did, his friend had to open his big mouth.

"Naw, the nine tails is a big ugly monster, Naruto would never date-"

And she was there, ears swiveled back, all nine of her tails swishing and puffed out in jagged ire, large scarlet slitted orbs pinioning him with a glare as her nose scrunched up in anger. Her lips curled back, showcasing her large needlepoint teeth, baring them with a growl.

" _I will devour your soul, **mortal.** "_ Kyuubi's voice, with all the viciousness it had, nearly made the man wet his pants, that angry snarl graveled near the end, making his skin crawl with petrified terror.

"Come on Kyuubi-chan, we got to go meet the others!" Naruto's call from afar made her eyes large again, sparkle almost, her tails softening as her ears swiveled back ahead of her, her nose no longer scrunched up, but now its normal button nose. Then she turned, and came to his side again, walking away without a glance back.

Next to him, his friend looked at him with wide eyes.

"You are so lucky."

"Y-yah, y-ya think ssss-s-so?" The man stuttered worse than a Hyuuga heiress.

Naruto took over the leading from Samui, who otherwise said nothing, and made their way towards his apartment, knowing that his girls would be waiting, he could feel them all, the anticipation in their bones, knowing that today was the day he returned. He could feel Soi-Fon's tentive worry, he could feel Anko's knowing smirk, even Yoruichi had that wave of anticipation welling up in her. But, most of all, he felt Rangiku's soft presence, her so so way that was relaxed in all things, yet strong, built by a corner stone others dismiss.

And then, he was in front of his door, a new member to his little band wrapping herself to his arm, a reluctant woman behind, and a girl he knew could overcome the dark of her past with this present light of her own strength.

Just as he was coming on to his apartment, he felt another presence, it was not that of his girls, or anyone he could particularly remember. But, it keened for him, almost cried for him, just behind the few blocks of building. The call, he could not ignore it, and so he told Kyuubi-whom he gave Nel to-and Samui to go ahead into his apartment without him. A reluctant sigh came from Kyuubi as she unwrapped her arms from him, and went with Samui to do as he asked. With a nod, Naruto turned towards the presence that was unlike the others, and leapt towards it.

Harribel had exited her own Gargantua not but a few minutes after Naruto, and now, stood, hidden behind a building. She did not rightly trust anyone here, not knowing them, and made herself as inconspicuous as she could.

"Hey-"

Her eyes widened as she nearly leapt from her skin, turning around with her zanpakuto drawn and ready to slice whoever dare sneak upon her. Mere inches from his skull, her weapon stopped, just in time, sheathed before any words could be spoken of it. Harribel felt like falling to her knees, she felt like crying, baling, to pour out all that was welled up in her, as she stood in front of Naruto, the man who was the only one who could help her.

A hand was on her soft cheek, where a remnant of her mask did not touch. She was about to speak regardless of the act, she was about to tell him what happened, but, her gaze fell when his eyes met hers, and she felt the words in her mouth turn to ash. It was as though her tongue were deadened lead, creeping down into her chest as she felt tears well up once more. Even now, a month gone, she still felt tears well up. Wet streaks fell down her ebony cheeks, and even as they did, Harribel felt two arms pull her into an embrace, holding her without fear of being struck for the over familiarity.

"He killed them, didn't he."

She felt his clawed digits tense, wringing what was left of her jacket a slight. When her words failed her, and her body numb, Naruto seemed to know, nonetheless. It was then, that she felt something from him, images flashing behind her emerald gaze, and it sent chills of fear down her spine. His Reiyuko had changed, not just the hollow and shinigami sense of feeling either. It was as if it went from calm concern-like the waters in a stream-to that of a fury untold, unspoken-a speeding river, spilling into a raging ocean.

"Aizen," he spoke, not to her, "you _bastard_ ," he continued, as if to make his contempt reach the man and throttle him till death.

For a long time, he held her close, without letting go-not a once!-but let his concern be known.

When Harribel's tears dried, and she could find strength in herself once more, Naruto took her with him, hoping the others would understand.

Upon getting back to his apartment where everyone was waiting, and opening the door, someone leapt out, followed by another, and another, bowling him over and on the ground. Not _too_ surprised, he looked down to see his more excitable women on him. Kyuubi on one arm, and Anko on the other, with Rangiku smack dab in the middle, flush against him. He smiled, grinned really, then laughed. He gave a peck to Rangiku's cheek, and did the same to the others. When they finally allowed him to stand, he looked about and spotted Soi-Fon in the door frame, hands clasped in front of her, with a stark smile and light red covering her cheeks.

He smiled a bit gentler to her as they moved back inside.

Yoruichi sat in a chair by the wall, smiling like a cat, happy for his return, Samui sat on the couch, regarding him with a stern stoic nod, sword laid across her legs. His head turned to and fro as everyone sat down, but could not find, for the life of him, the little green haired-and dressed-Nel. Before he asked where she was, he felt a weight-albeit not that heavy, in fact it was feather light-settle on his shoulder. Something draped around his shoulders, the familiar feeling of his trench-coat against his bone white hands.

"Hello~" a light voice, as light as the weight aloft his shoulder, spoke next to him.

Naruto turned his head to the voice, and saw little Nel perched there like a bird. He smiled at her, big and bright, tilting his head so as to get a better look at her. "Hey Nel-san, thank you for returning my trench-coat." He thanked her, although he could make another with his familiar's, it was a nice gesture.

"Hahaha! You're welcome!"

Naruto laughed with her, not the sadistic, or sinister, laughter that usually accompanied his voice, it was light, just as hers, like the soft beat of a drum, tittering down. When he finally could catch his breath, he found himself relaxed, and gave little Nel a pat atop her head. She cooed as he did so, even though his hand did flinch when it went over the gash in her hollow mask. Reishi leaked there, and instantly a thought ran through his mind. His crimson gaze stretched across the room towards the women there, and finally fell towards Soi-Fon.

"Can you take Nel and sow the gash in the mask of hers with that Kido?"

The petite woman jumped a slight, but with the others eyes on her, she could only ask why. When told he felt Reishi leaking from it, she cocked her head to the side in thought, and nodded.

Smiling warmly at her, he set Nel on the ground, asking her to go with Soi-Fon for just a little bit. When asked why, he chuckled and told her it would make her stronger, to which she giggled and happily obliged and went with the captain.

When they were out of the room, Naruto looked towards his girls, his smile disappearing.

"I have news concerning Aizen, and what he's planning, and you guys won't like it."

While he spoke of the hokyuko and of the soul king, Soi-Fon tended to the wound on Nel's head. Kido was one thing she was excellent at, and she too had come to the same conclusion as Naruto. Nel's Reishi was leaking from that spot on her mask, and by sealing it, she will be able to keep all that she would usually leak out. Now though, as the hollow remains slowly began to close above the fidgeting girl, Soi-Fon wondered what would happen once it was finally closed.

At last, it was done, and Nel leapt into Soi-Fon's slender arms with that boisterous joy that only a child could have. She chuckled as Nel giggled, smiling softly. It was strange for Soi-Fon, to be holding something that a few months before she would bring straight to Yamamoto's attention, and strictly follow his orders, even if it meant killing her. But now, she stood, a little hollow-shinigami hybrid child, smiling brighter, and closer to her former teacher, and more joyful, than ever before.

It was all that damn blond's fault.

With a small sigh, a little upward quirk of her lips, and shouldering Nel, she came back into the room with everyone else. A butter knife could have cut the tension in the room then, but as soon as she entered, Nel spotted Naruto and leapt to his shoulder. He caught her, and perched her atop his head instead, smiling up as she smiled down.

"Did Soi-Fon help you?"

"Ya ya! She's really nice!"

"That's good!" He bellowed with a grin, matching her enthusiasm. "Did you thank her?" He added, smiling.

"Oh!" She turned her head towards the petite woman with a slight bit of worry, "thank you!"

Soi-Fon smiled brightly, then, as she sat down.

The next morning, after successfully escaping a tangle of limbs that was his girls, Naruto made his way to the kitchen, intent on fashioning some breakfast from what he could. He had not yet checked the cabinet's or fridge yet, since his departure to cloud and subsequent month long stay in Hueco Mundo. So, he was a slight astonished when he found an abundance in food where he imagined there would be little to nil.

"So they stocked me up while I was away..." He spoke out of mind, to no one imparticular.

"Wha?" He heard a voice answer him anyways, a little voice he knew of well, the pad of her tiny feet against the tiled floor as she came closer. When he turned about, her gaze was already staring up at him. Nel was curled up in his bed not long ago, sleeping soundly, but it appears she was wide awake. Though, as he stared on at her, she appeared...older, as if she had suddenly aged. A little taller, her face not as round as before.

Snapping out of his thought, he answered her with a smile. "Oh, well, I was in Hueco Mundo for a month, and the day I took you here, yesterday...well I had assumed that Rangiku, Soi-Fon, Anko, and Yoruichi had all eaten my food, but-" he stopped talking and realized she had lost interest, her eyes squinting as she tried to listen just a little.

"We're gonna make everyone some breakfast, you wanna help?" He asked instead, and her eyes perked up, her head bobbing fervently.

"Ya ya ya!"

He chuckled a bit, and with her smiling face, they began making breakfast.

Harribel was on the couch, sleeping the day away, tired from all that has been going on. Last night, Naruto had given her a new set of clothes, and asked if she wanted an apartment, but she declined, and was humble to ask to sleep where she was. She knew the others had gone to sleep in his bed, which now was a queen size, though Samui remained away, and decided that she would sleep in one of the recliners Naruto had.

Tai felt her nose wrinkle as something delicious smelling entered her nose. It was the smell of meat and eggs and batter sizzling on pans. The aroma was so much so that her eyes cracked open, then half-lidded did they widen. Was he making breakfast?

"Hahaha! You got pancake on your face!"

 _Was that...huh._ Harribel thought as she heard the giggles of Nel. Harribel sat up and craned her head to the kitchen area. She spotted Naruto there, wiping some batter from his nose with a rag, but smiled down. Harribel felt a little smile of her own grow, and decided to see what they were all fixing.

Getting up from the couch, she made her way towards the little kitchen, finding a slightly taller Nel giggling and laughing kindheartedly as she watched Naruto flip some scrabbled eggs. Naruto turned his head to her and greeted Tai with a good morning. She nodded, bobbing the locks of shaggy golden hair of hers.

Others woke up too, Soi-Fon, first, Anko then Kyuubi, and after them was Yoruichi and Samui. As they settled down and ate, Naruto headed in to his bedroom, wondering if Rangiku was still sleeping. When he stepped in, she was no where to be found, just a tangle of sheets as the others had left it. A little concerned, he turned about, wondering just where in the world she could be.

Then, he heard something come from the bathroom.

He turned on his heels and strode to it fastly, and stopped by the door. He heard the noise again, hearing a groan, then a curse. Knocking, he asked if she was okay, and when she did not reply after a long silence, he opened the door.

She kneeled by the toilet, looking sick to her stomach. He came to her side, rubbing her back as he loomed over like a protective hawk. She was roused by this, and when her half-lidded gaze met his, he found himself nearly scared stiff.

" _You bastard,_ " she said without much rancor.

"Rangiku what's happ-" He cut himself off before he could ask anything else. It was then and there that he realized something that his dense head had not a single for-thought of. Rangiku...no, not just Rangiku. She _and_ the other two were. . .oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh _shit_.

Naruto held Rangiku then, teary eyed.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, though she turned to him as best she could, and embraced him with her weakened arms, as tightly as she could. "Don't," her voice held a bit of power then, "ever apologize." It softened. "I want this. I want you to want _this..._ " She nearly came to tears herself then, just as well, eyes beginning to wet.

He nodded, feeling joy he had never known before well up in him, something like pride in them both.

When a few hours past, and it was nearly noon, about all had settled, and Naruto sat on the couch with Rangiku in his lap, Soi-Fon leaning to his shoulder, and Anko sitting on the floor, leaning her head back. Off to the side, Kyuubi played with Nel, letting the growing girl jump between her strong tails like a jungle gym. Samui was reading a book while Yoruichi napped in her cat form. Harribel took to meditating, relaxing herself as best she could and trying to find some peace.

Naruto though, he was deep in thought, his eyes glaring into empty space, off to a thousand mile stare that seemed to prick through the walls. Rangiku, Soi-Fon, and Anko were all pregnant, though they may not know that he knew, that did not change the fact of what he was going to do. From the memories of that Nnoitra man, he found that Aizen was far stronger than most anyone else, even if the kages were to amass against him, they would find themselves locked in a long fight that they might end up losing. Right now, he could beat a single kage if he were using all his tricks and powers, so he was no where near strong enough to fight him.

That was what led him to a conclusion.

Shikai and bankai, the former weaker than the latter, and the latter coming with a whole new set of abilities, if he were not mistaken. So, if he was this strong in shikai, and bankai was stronger, then the obvious thing he had to do was achieve it. Though he could go and ask someone to help him, he decided that it would be futile. If he went around and asked for someone to help him achieve something, he would not gain it rightfully. What he needed was to enter his inner world, and get it from Walter.

With his mind finally made up, Naruto nudged his girls, and they let him stand. When he did, they asked what he was up to, which he simply smiled down at them, as warmly as ever.

"I got to go do something, I won't be back for a while."

Rangiku's eyes widened, and she looked hurt as he went to the door, but he turned about and said, "I won't be gone forever."

She relaxed somewhat, worry leaving her then as he exited without saying anything else.

Naruto sighed heavily on the other side of his door, but soon used shunpo, slipping away to a secluded place, hoping that maybe he could gain the power to protect those he loved.


End file.
